SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION RESPONSE VICTIM ADVOCATE (SAPR VA) - TITLE 5

Full Job Description

THIS IS A NATIONAL GUARD TITLE 5 EXCEPTED SERVICE POSITION.

This National Guard position is for a Sexual Assault Prevention Response Victim Advocate (SAPR VA), Position Description Number T5922000 and is part of the 48th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, Macon, Georgia.

This is a full-time, Excepted Permanent, position which does not require Georgia Army National Guard Membership. Area of Consideration: All United States Citizens.

Time-In-Grade Requirement: Applicants who are current Federal employees and have held a GS grade any time in the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements by the closing date of this announcement.

For a GS-11 position you must have served 52 weeks at the GS-09. The grade may have been in any occupation, but must have been held in the Federal service.

An SF-50 that shows your time-in-grade eligibility must be submitted with your application materials.

Note: Time-In-Grade requirements also apply to former Federal employees applying for reinstatement as well as current employees applying for Veterans Employment Opportunities Act of 1998 (VEOA) appointment.

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social).

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application.

Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

To qualify based on your experience, your resume must describe at least one year of experience which prepared you to do the work in this job.

Specialized experience is defined as: Providing 24/7 in-person and telephonic response, the incumbent under the supervision of the Sexual Assault Response Officer (State SAPR).

The incumbent serves as the Domestic Abuse Victim Advocate (DAVA) providing assistance and advocacy for victims of spousal/intimate partner abuse, non-offensive parents/caregivers and victims of child abuse.

This position will serve as facilitator to Wing/BDE/JFHQ-State personnel regarding victim of domestic violence and child abuse appropriate responses.

This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-09).

OR Education: Ph.D or equivalent doctoral degree or 3 full years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to such a degree or LL.M.

in a field which demonstrates the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to do the work of the position, such as: Organizational Development, Human Resource Management or Business Administration (Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) OR Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%.

To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12.

Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) beyond the second year (total graduate semester hours minus 36) by 18. Add the two percentages.

(Note: You must attach a copy of your transcripts.) Volunteer Experience: Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

You must include months, years and hours per week worked to receive credit for your work and/or volunteer experience. One year of specialized experience is equivalent to 12 months at 40 hours per week.

Part-time hours are prorated. Major Duties:

As a Sexual Assault Prevention Response Victim Advocate (SAPR VA), GS-0101-11, you will: Perform essential victim service, advocacy, and support duties; provide a non-clinical response that is trauma-informed, gender-responsive, culturally responsive, and recovery-oriented, and without prejudice to adult victims of sexual assault.

Demonstrate understanding of trauma related to sexual violence and related complexities.

This work involves Privacy Act and Controlled Unclassified Information and is therefore highly sensitive in nature.

Apply basic strategies for skilled communication, including developing rapport and actively listening, to provide initial victim advocacy services and crisis intervention support for adult victims of sexual assault and comply with mandated timeframes for responding to requests and completing required documents within those timeframes.

Conduct mandated initial risk screening; non-clinical safety assessment and planning; and coordinate medical, legal, and civilian and military law enforcement resources to address immediate risk, safety, and supportive service needs in accordance with applicable policy, prioritizing confidentiality and informed consent.

Coordinate which cases can be managed independently with the SARC, employing judgement and problem-solving skills to identify a victim's specific needs and service delivery.

Accept official reports of sexual assault by assisting the victim in completing the Defense Department (DD) Form 2910 and other official Department of Defense (DoD) forms as applicable, taking sensitive care of handling personally identifiable information when it is disclosed, as well as covered communications.

Ensure to communicate with the victim an understanding of the SAPR VA role in the reporting process, subsequent processes associated with their election to file a report in accordance with DoD and Service level policies and regulations and provide tailored referrals and resources as applicable.

Assist the victim in prioritizing actions and identifying short and long-term options to support needs and recovery.

Demonstrate expertise in offering comprehensive guidance to victims on reporting options (Restricted and Unrestricted), to include options for those not ready to report, explaining exceptions and limitations for each, and ensuring understanding of the eligibility criteria for Special Victims' Counsel (SVC).

Uphold the rights and confidentiality preferences of victims consistently throughout the reporting process.

Support victims when contacting appropriate offices and facilitate warm hand-offs as requested.

Ensure victims of sexual assault receive information and support during administrative, medical, investigative, and legal procedures to support victim self-determination and informed decision making.

Perform a series of complex assessments using trauma-informed approaches for all reports of adult sexual assault.

Apply research informed practices associated with victim advocacy, social service principles, and behavioral theories to include mandatory administration of standardized risk screenings and non-clinical safety assessment(s), thoroughly addressing all presenting safety concerns through use of risk mitigation strategies and techniques, developing an individualized safety plan with each victim, and conducting ongoing needs assessments and planning to address victim safety and support needs.

Demonstrate highly adaptive application of strategies and skilled advocacy practices in identifying, establishing, and modifying victim advocacy support and assistance.

Implement mandatory standardized risk screening protocols to address immediate risk and safety concerns and apply strategies to develop tailored interventions that address the needs of individual victims.

Provide assistance to victims in securing medical treatment for physical and psychological injuries; safe shelter; protective orders; support before, during, and after trials; educational services; transportation; financial services; and any other services identified and requested by the victim.

Value and prioritize confidentiality and informed consent standards when advising the victim on the purpose of any information shared during each interaction, ensuring to advise the victim on the protections and exceptions to confidentiality for all covered communications, to include Restricted and Unrestricted Reporting, per Military Rules of Evidence 514 "Victim Advocate - Victim Privilege" and DoD Sexual Assault Advocate Certification Program (D-SAACP) Professional Code of Ethics, and applicable guidance.

Collaborate closely with victims to develop and adapt safety plans and needs assessments to prioritize and address potential risks and vulnerabilities, applying trauma-informed best practices and understanding the importance of informed consent throughout the process.

Perform other duties as assigned.