This is a dual role, trained as both a Victim Advocate and a Professional Forensic Child Interviewer (VA/FI). As a Victim Advocate (VA), this employee will be responsible for coordinating client services, tracking client cases, and community education. As VA, this employee works as a team member with Department of Children’s Services, Law Enforcement, Our Kids, and the District Attorney’s Office to assist victims of severe child abuse, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, and drug exposure, and non-offending family members. As a Forensic Interviewer, this employee conducts interviews with alleged victims of or child witnesses to severe abuse, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, and drug exposure, as established by local Child Protective Investigative Team (CPIT). The VA/FI works with the Director to fulfill the goals and objectives of the Montgomery County Child Advocacy Center.
Montgomery County, Tennessee, is home to Clarksville, the state’s fifth-largest city. Located just 40 miles from Nashville and within a day’s drive of most major U.S. cities. The area offers a vibrant mix of history, innovation, and outdoor recreation with over 30 parks and trails like the scenic Clarksville Greenway.
Regularly named one of Money Magazine’s, “Best Places to Live,” the community features a low cost of living, a growing downtown, and strong environmental initiatives, including new solar farms.
Home to Fort Campbell, Austin Peay State University, and major employers like Google, LG, Hankook, and Amazon, Montgomery County is a hub of opportunity. The County Government operates 40+ departments and offers excellent benefits, including TCRS retirement plans.
Join us and see why Montgomery County is a top choice for living and working in Middle Tennessee.
This is a dual role, trained as both a Victim Advocate and a Professional Forensic Child Interviewer (VA/FI). As a Victim Advocate (VA), this employee will be responsible for coordinating client services, tracking client cases, and community education. As VA, this employee works as a team member with Department of Children’s Services, Law Enforcement, Our Kids, and the District Attorney’s Office to assist victims of severe child abuse, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, and drug exposure, and non-offending family members. As a Forensic Interviewer, this employee conducts interviews with alleged victims of or child witnesses to severe abuse, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, and drug exposure, as established by local Child Protective Investigative Team (CPIT). The VA/FI works with the Director to fulfill the goals and objectives of the Montgomery County Child Advocacy Center.
JOB QUALIFICATIONS – KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES
Knowledge of:
- Governmental accounting and auditing methods, procedures, and financial practices.
- State and County Laws and Regulations regarding social and correctional casework.
- Current office practices and procedures.
Computer software consistent for this position.
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Skill in:
Analyzing complex administrative information and issues, defining problems and evaluating alternatives, and recommending methods, procedures, and techniques for resolution of issues.
- Skill in organizational and time management to prioritize duties to accomplish a high volume of work product while adapting to constant changes in priority.
Applying judgment and discretion in resolving problems and interpreting policies and regulations.
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Ability to:
- Perform detailed work accurately and independently in compliance with stringent time limits requiring minimal direction and supervision.
- Establish and maintain accurate records of assigned activities and operations.
- Interpret and implement local policies and procedures; written instructions, general correspondence; Federal, State, and local regulations.
- Perform mathematical calculations required of this position.
- Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
Establish and maintain accurate records of assigned activities and operations.
- Analyze facts and to exercise sound judgment in arriving at conclusions.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.
Maintain confidentiality and discretion regarding business-related files, reports, and conversations, within State and Federal statutes.
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WORK ENVIRONMENT:
Work is performed in a typical indoor office setting; and is mostly sedentary with periods of mobility and light physical activity. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Level of responsibility subjects the incumbent to moderate stress due to interruptions.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS/ACTIVITIES:
This work requires the occasional exertion of up to 25 pounds of force; work regularly requires sitting, frequently requires standing, speaking or hearing, using hands to finger, handle or feel and repetitive motions and occasionally requires walking, stooping, kneeling, crouching, or crawling and reaching with hands and arms.
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close, distance and peripheral vision; depth perception; and the ability to adjust focus. Will spend a large amount of time viewing a computer screen.
Vocal communication and normal hearing are required for expressing or exchanging ideas by means of the spoken word.
- Acceptable verbal and conversation skills to effectively communicate with others via the phone, at meetings and to greet and assist visitors.
Work requires preparing and analyzing written or computer data and observing general surroundings and activities.
Work is primarily in an office setting.
- Use and normal maintenance of office machines, (copier, computer, printer, etc.).
- Frequent use of phone handset and repetitive use of hand & fingers to operate office equipment, use computer keyboard & computer mouse and to perform other office tasks.
Ability to recognize occupational hazards in work activities and take safety precautions.
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The intent of this position description is to provide a representative summary of duties and responsibilities that will be required of positions given this title and is not a declaration of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may also be assigned job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.
Montgomery County is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with the requirements of the Civil Rights Act of 1966 (Section 1981) and 1964 (Title VI, VII,) Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Equal Pay Act (EPA) and the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act (USERRA).
Department: Child Advocacy
Pay Grade: 95, Non-Exempt
Starting hourly rate: $30.80
Minimum Experience:
Experience equivalent to three years of full-time professional work in one or a combination of the following: child protective services, criminal justice, clinical evaluation, forensic interviewing, or other comparable work with children
Minimum Education:
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a bachelor's degree in a field related to social science, education, criminal justice, nursing, psychology or other helping profession, a master’s degree is preferred.
Certifications, Licenses:
This is a dual role, trained as both a Victim Advocate and a Professional Forensic Child Interviewer (VA/FI). As a Victim Advocate (VA), this employee will be responsible for coordinating client services, tracking client cases, and community education. As VA, this employee works as a team member with Department of Children’s Services, Law Enforcement, Our Kids, and the District Attorney’s Office to assist victims of severe child abuse, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, and drug exposure, and non-offending family members. As a Forensic Interviewer, this employee conducts interviews with alleged victims of or child witnesses to severe abuse, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, and drug exposure, as established by local Child Protective Investigative Team (CPIT). The VA/FI works with the Director to fulfill the goals and objectives of the Montgomery County Child Advocacy Center.
GENERAL POSITION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The following duties are normal for this position. However, they are not to be construed as exclusive or all–inclusive. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty satisfactorily. Other duties may also be required or assigned.
Experience equivalent to three years of full-time professional work in one or a combination of the following: child protective services, criminal justice, clinical evaluation, forensic interviewing, or other comparable work with children
Demonstrated professional knowledge of child abuse and neglect and child development (through course work, professional training, or higher education)
Demonstrated experience with interdisciplinary team work
- Demonstrated maturity and experience in successfully working with families.
- Working knowledge of parent-child interaction, child development, and the dynamics of child sexual abuse, and the ability to apply this information in working with clients.
- Ability to effectively monitor client interaction.
- Ability to assess individual needs and cultural considerations for the child and family to ensure those needs are addressed.
- Ability to work effectively with employees from other agencies and members of community groups.
- Ability to work in a team environment where multiple players contribute to problem solving.
- Attend regular supervision meetings, team meetings, case conferences, in-services/trainings, and other meetings and training as required.
Participate in peer groups with the Child Advocacy Centers of Tennessee.
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VA Duties and Responsibilities shall include but are not limited to the following:
- Must complete a minimum of 24 hours or instruction including, but not limited to: dynamics of abuse, trauma-informed services, crisis assessment and intervention, risk assessment and safety planning, professional ethics and boundaries, assistance in accessing/obtaining victims’ rights as outlined by Tennessee law, and assistance with access to other services that may be needed for individual clients.
- Provide crisis intervention/support to non-offending parents while they are at the Child Advocacy Center for a forensic interview or medical exam.
- Establish a trusting relationship with at-risk families by maintaining regular client contact.
- Maintain client records in a complete and confidential manner.
- Assist eligible victims in obtaining benefits from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Program.
- Research and make available clear, concise publications that elucidate issues around victimization, including adverse childhood experiences and their effects, and navigating the investigative process and legal system.
- Have knowledge of available community resources, assess what services may be needed to address the needs of families, and assist families in their need to access these resources.
- Act as a liaison between families and other community agencies
- Compile a resource guide of services available in Clarksville, Montgomery County TN and the Fort Campbell, KY area.
- Advocate on behalf of individual clients and for systemic change that improves the response of systems to victims.
- Responsible for putting all data into the computerized system using the National Children’s Alliance Tracking System known as NCATrak.
Attend CPIT meetings and community meeting related to child abuse and child sexual abuse.
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FI Duties and Responsibilities shall include but are not limited to the following:
Complete the pre-service training FI seminar and complete a minimum of fifteen hours per year continuing education sessions annually.
Participate in the development of a local CPIT investigative protocol which will
provide guidelines for prioritizing cases that require a professional forensic child
interview while assuring a coordinated multidisciplinary response for all reports.
Coordinate interview schedules with law enforcement and child protective services
investigators.
Conduct interviews of children following the established forensic interview protocol
in cases of alleged severe abuse, including sexual abuse, physical abuse, and drug exposure, for children ages three (3) through seventeen (17) and children under age three (3) as deemed appropriate.
Obtain information regarding traumatic history in a manner that meets legal
requirements for evidence and assessment of protection and treatment needs.
Document interviews via video/audio recording and in a written format and distribute as determined by the CPIT protocol.
Participate in multidisciplinary team review meetings.
Provide testimony in pertinent court proceedings.
Participate in peer review assessments and supervisory evaluations.
Attend periodic meetings of forensic child interviewers across the state via the Tennessee Chapter of Child Advocacy Centers.
Facilitate training/information dissemination on topics related to severe child abuse and child forensic interviewing.
COUNTY ORGANIZATION DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
Represents the Department to other County departments, elected officials, outside agencies, customers, County residents and visitors.
Provides quality customer service to individuals needing directions or assistance.
SUPERVISORY RELATIONSHIPS:
Works under the supervision of the Director. This position has no supervisory responsibilities.
