Position Summary: The Outreach Specialist is the agency’s first contact with victims identified through the Lethality Assessment Program.  The Specialist is primarily responsible for making outreach calls to victims identified by the Baltimore City Police Department (BPD) and offers safety planning, intimate partner violence education, linkage to House of Ruth Maryland (HRM) services, and referrals to appropriate community resources.  This position is primarily responsible for timely and accurate entry of data received from the BPD into the HRM client database system (ETO).  In addition, all subsequent contacts and outcomes associated with victims identified through the Police Lethality Program will be entered into ETO in accordance with HRM procedures in a timely manner, usually the same day.   The Specialist is a creative, energetic problem solver who exercises initiative to help callers and is a skilled professional who has excellent crisis intervention skills including empathy, compassion, listening, patience, and the ability to assess each victim’s situation relative to lethality, assist them in making a safety plan and engage them in appropriate services. . As such, the Outreach Specialist must have a firm understanding of trauma, the effects of trauma, engaging traumatized people, and must be comfortable working in a Voluntary Services program model.  The Specialist is responsible for developing an excellent working relationship with other HRM programs and its staff, to ensure the timely, effective and seamless provision of services and must have the maturity and skills to work with people from economically and culturally diverse backgrounds in many different capacities. 

Primary Responsibilities:

• Records information provided by BPD on intimate partner violence incidents and Lethality Assessment Screens into ETO with an emphasis on timely and accurate data entry.
• Using information collected on the lethality assessment screens by the BPD through the Lethality Assessment Program, makes outreach calls to victims to offer safety planning, intimate partner violence education, linkages to HRM programs and services, and provides information about other appropriate community resources.  

• Provides crisis intervention, empathy and support to victims at risk of serious injury from intimate partner violence. 

• Immediately upon receipt of Lethality Assessment screens, attempts to contact all victims.  Makes and documents three attempts to contact victims within 72 hours of receiving lethality assessment screens.
• Refers high and extreme danger victims, who are not successfully reached, to BPD Family Crimes Unit.
• Records all efforts and outcomes associated with outreach to victims in ETO.
• Receives Lethality Assessments screens and Incident Reports from BPD highlights date and time of receipt, and tracks any reports received later than next business day following incident.
• Reports summary information to Lead Outreach Specialist to reflect data related to all aspects of program participation, including subsequent enrollments in HRM programs and services and referrals to BPD/Family Crimes Unit for further follow up.
• Shares responsibility with Contact Center Counselors for live response to calls during designated shifts as needed.

• Participates in Contact Center Team meetings and share resource information. 

• Other Duties as assigned.

Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

• Associates degree or 2 years’ experience in call center or victim centered services.
• Two years’ experience doing outreach, answering hotline or working in customer service.
• Knowledge and understanding of intimate partner violence.
•  Knowledge or ability to learn database management systems; comfortable learning new systems.
• Oral fluency in English and Spanish highly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to work quickly and calmly in a crisis.
• Demonstrated ability to make decisions which de-escalate conflict and/or resolve a crisis effectively.
• Knowledge of local human services programs/ agencies and housing resources.
• Excellent oral and written interpersonal skills with a strong ability to relate to a diverse range of individuals including victims, children, donors, business leaders, human service providers.  Particular emphasis on communication over the telephone.
• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Must pass Criminal Background Check.