Sandra Banales
Richmond,CA
Summary
Highly-motivated, committed bilingual employee with team-oriented mentality and with desire to take on new challenges. I offer over 20+ years of serving and supporting the diverse community I live and work in. Adept knowledge of community resources and referral services. Well-versed in crisis intervention and cultural sensitivity. Strong work ethic, adaptability and exceptional interpersonal skills. Adept at working efficiently unsupervised and able to communicate effectively in both English and Spanish. l bring Exceptional customer service, multitasking and time management abilities. Responsible and skilled in working under pressure and adapting to new situations and challenges to best enhance the program I represent.
Overview
16
16
years of professional experience
Work History
Bilingual Victim Advocate
Contra Costa County DA's Office
Martinez, CA
02.2016 - Current
- Provided bilingual assistance to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and other crimes by providing emotional support, crisis intervention, safety planning, and referrals for services.
- Facilitated translation services for non-English speaking victims in order to ensure their access to justice system processes and court proceedings.
- Assisted victims in filing restraining orders, police reports, and other legal documents.
- Conducted outreach activities throughout the community to increase awareness of available resources and services.
- Maintained contact with victims throughout the criminal justice process to provide updates on case status.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary teams including social workers, counselors, attorneys, law enforcement personnel, healthcare providers. in order to coordinate comprehensive service delivery plans for individual clients.
- Provided information about rights guaranteed under federal and state laws pertaining to domestic violence and sexual assault survivors.
- Participated in trainings offered by various organizations related to victim advocacy work such as trauma-informed care or crisis intervention strategies.
- Attended court hearings alongside clients in order to provide emotional support during difficult judicial proceedings.
- Conducted intake interviews with new clients in order to assess needs and develop an individualized service plan tailored towards meeting those needs.
- Accompanied clients on visits with attorneys or other professionals involved in their cases in order to explain complex terminology or procedures they may not understand.
- Maintained up-to-date records documenting all client interactions according to agency protocol.
- Provided follow-up phone calls after initial intake appointments were completed in order to check on client progress.
- Attended conferences related to victim advocacy work and presented findings from research projects conducted within the agency.
- Assisted clients in navigating public benefits systems such as food stamps or disability insurance applications.
- Served as a liaison between clients and government officials ensuring that all necessary paperwork was submitted correctly.
- Created awareness of victims' rights and services by delivering presentations to agencies, schools and community groups.
- Corresponded and collaborated with law enforcement, prosecuting attorneys, social services agencies, judges, court staff and other victim advocacy groups.
- Assisted individuals through criminal justice process, providing information and support.
- Acted as liaison between victims and law enforcement agencies to assist with filing police reports and explain informed consent.
- Maintained caseload of up to 50+ clients, managing case status reports for each.
- Interviewed victims and recorded impact statements for records and court proceedings.
- Delivered on-call and overnight support to victims and witnesses for 24-hour call center.
- Supported crisis intervention and advocacy for victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Homicide crimes.
- Coordinated referrals and crisis counseling services and programs to victims and witnesses of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and Homicide crimes.
- Advocated for victims during difficult situations by filing police reports and connecting to needed services.
- Maintained records of victim contacts for use in emergency or crisis situations.
Sexual Assault Victim Advocate
Community Violence Solutions
San Pablo, CA
06.2014 - 06.2018
- Provided crisis intervention, advocacy and support to victims of sexual assault.
- Assisted in the coordination of community resources for survivors of sexual assault.
- Facilitated individual counseling sessions with clients impacted by sexual violence.
- Collaborated with law enforcement, medical personnel, social workers, therapists and other professionals involved in responding to cases of sexual violence.
- Maintained accurate records regarding client services and progress reports.
- Attended court proceedings as an advocate for victims of sexual assault.
- Created a safe environment for survivors to express their feelings without fear or judgement.
- Created awareness of victims' rights and services by delivering presentations to agencies, schools and community groups.
- Advocated for victims during difficult situations by filing police reports and connecting to needed services.
- Delivered on-call and overnight support to victims and witnesses for 24-hour call center.
- Corresponded and collaborated with law enforcement, prosecuting attorneys, social services agencies, judges, court staff and other victim advocacy groups.
- Acted as liaison between victims and law enforcement agencies to assist with filing police reports and explain informed consent.
- Coordinated referrals and crisis counseling services and programs to victims and witnesses of Sexual Assault crimes.
- Supported crisis intervention and advocacy for victims of Sexual Assault crimes.
- Maintained caseload of up to 25+ clients, managing case status reports for each.
- Maintained records of victim contacts for use in emergency or crisis situations.
- Provided educational and outreach programs, prevention talks and other presentations to social service agencies, businesses and general public audiences.
Supervised Visitation Monitor
Safe 4 Us / Community Violence Solutions
San Pablo, CA
06.2008 - 12.2013
- Acted as an advocate for the best interests of the child while maintaining neutrality towards both parties involved in the case.
- Mediated disputes between parents when they arose during visits.
- Facilitated visits between children and their non-custodial parent in a supervised setting.
- Monitored interactions between child and non-custodial parent to ensure safety of the child.
- Reported any unusual behavior or incidents during visitation sessions to supervisor.
- Assisted with transportation for children to and from visitation sites as needed.
- Provided emotional support to children throughout visitation process.
- Maintained logs of visitations, including duration, activities, and other details as required by agency policy.
- Ensured compliance with all court orders related to supervised visitation sessions.
- Collaborated with social workers, attorneys, and other professionals involved in the case.
- Advised custodial parents on proper procedures for supervised visits.
- Educated families on appropriate behaviors during visitations and conflict resolution techniques when necessary.
- Conducted home studies prior to initial visits to assess suitability of environment for child's safety.
- Communicated regularly with supervisors regarding progress of visitations and any changes that may be needed in order to maintain safety of child.
- Attended meetings with clients' family members, legal representatives, and other professionals involved in the case.
- Participated in training programs related to supervised visitation monitoring.
- Developed strategies for managing challenging behaviors exhibited by either parent or child during visits.
- Observed physical contact between parents and children during visitations and took action if necessary.
- Used job-related software to compose or prepare correspondence, case notes and technical reports
- Supervised team of 2 volunteers, delivering in-depth training and mentoring.
- Built trust and rapport with victims of violent crimes by remaining calm and compassionate in variety of situations.
- Counseled parents on proper child-rearing choices.
- Advocated for victims during difficult situations by filing police reports and connecting to needed services.
- Worked with care team to assess client needs and discuss collaborative treatment efforts.
- Identified appropriate community resources and provided referrals for services.
- Maintained confidentiality through stringent handling of charts and data.
- Interviewed clients individually and in groups to assess situations, capabilities and problems.
- Worked with community resources to engage youth in pro-social activities and help families access services.
- Interfaced with local court system, attending court proceedings and working directly with attorneys.
- Supported individuals by facilitating weekly group sessions.
Domestic Violence Counselor/Crisis Line Worker
STAND for Families Free of Violence
Concord, CA
02.2013 - 2015
- Provided individual counseling to victims of domestic violence and their families.
- Developed safety plans with clients and assisted them in accessing available resources.
- Conducted assessments, evaluations and intake interviews with clients to determine needs.
- Maintained accurate records on client progress and services provided in accordance with agency policies and procedures.
- Provided crisis intervention services via telephone or in person when needed.
- Coordinated referrals to appropriate community agencies for further assistance or services.
- Collaborated with other professionals to develop treatment plans which addressed the individual's needs.
- Attended court hearings when necessary to provide support for victims of domestic violence.
- Educated the community about domestic violence through presentations at schools, churches and other organizations.
- Participated in meetings with multidisciplinary teams to discuss cases involving victims of domestic violence.
- Assisted individuals in navigating the legal system by providing information on filing restraining orders or obtaining protective orders.
- Advised family members on how best to assist their loved ones who are experiencing abuse.
- Evaluated risk factors associated with potential acts of intimate partner violence.
- Provided advocacy services for individuals who have experienced abuse within their relationships.
- Served as a liaison between law enforcement personnel, social service providers and courts regarding cases involving victims of domestic violence.
- Evaluated and addressed individual client needs and concerns.
- Used active listening skills and supportive diction to cultivate client rapport and open communication.
- Used knowledge of successful crisis intervention techniques and supportive problem-solving to achieve treatment goals.
- Encouraged and motivated clients to develop new coping mechanisms and techniques to drive behavior modification.
- Acted as role model for clients by exhibiting positive behaviors.
- Maintained and developed community relationships to support various client referrals.
- Composed or prepared correspondence, case notes and narratives with computer-based applications.
- Coordinated care with interdisciplinary teams and community contacts to promote continuity of care.
- Assisted and advocated for clients obtaining financial resources and government entitlements.
- Improved outcomes and successes by utilizing multidisciplinary risk identification and management in care planning.
- Answered incoming calls from individuals in crisis and provided support, understanding, and resources.
- Provided emotional support to callers by listening attentively, empathizing with their situation, and responding appropriately.
- Assessed the severity of the caller's distress and determined appropriate interventions or referrals for further assistance.
- Maintained accurate records of all conversations with clients using a computer-based system.
- Provided follow-up services such as phone calls or home visits to ensure that callers are safe after initial contact has been made.
- Utilized motivational interviewing techniques to assist clients in developing skills for dealing with future crises effectively.
- Identified potential mental health issues such as depression or anxiety and referred clients to appropriate treatment providers accordingly.
- Collaborated with other healthcare professionals such as psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists. to provide comprehensive care to clients in need.
- Counseled individuals on topics related to relationship dynamics, substance abuse prevention and recovery, anger management, grief counseling.
- Conducted outreach activities within the community through public speaking engagements at schools or other organizations.
- Provided crisis intervention services over the telephone as well as face-to-face meetings when necessary.
- Participated in regular team meetings to discuss case progress and share best practices for working with challenging cases.
- Acted as an advocate for clients by connecting them to available resources such as housing programs or food banks.
- Performed regular quality assurance checks on both incoming and outgoing calls to ensure accuracy of information provided.
- Facilitated weekly group sessions focused on various issues to help groups and individuals.
Education
La Raza Studies/Early Childhood Development
Contra Costa College
San Pablo, CASkills
- Legal Support and Navigation
- Confidentiality Practices
- Safety Planning
- Emotional Support
- Documentation and Reporting abilities
- Child development knowledge
- Cultural Sensitivity
- Crisis Intervention
- Family Support
- Teamwork and Collaboration
- Problem Solving abilities
- Goal Setting
- Active Listening
- Interpersonal Communication
- Excellent Communication in both English and Spanish
- Attention to Detail
- Multitasking
Proffessional Supervised Visitation Monitor
- 32 hours of California State special training and background check.
Rape Crisis Counselor
- 50+ hours of training and background check.
Domestic Abuse Counselor
- 40+ hours of state law requirements training.
Victim Witness Advocate
- 40+ hours of training to work with crime victims.
Timeline
Bilingual Victim Advocate
Contra Costa County DA's Office
02.2016 - Current
Sexual Assault Victim Advocate
Community Violence Solutions
06.2014 - 06.2018
Domestic Violence Counselor/Crisis Line Worker
STAND for Families Free of Violence
02.2013 - 2015
Supervised Visitation Monitor
Safe 4 Us / Community Violence Solutions
06.2008 - 12.2013
La Raza Studies/Early Childhood Development
Contra Costa College
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