For over 20 years, Safehome has partnered with all of the hospitals and clinics in Johnson and Miami County. When a medical agency has a patient or staff member experiencing domestic violence, they know they can call us for help.

The mission of our Healthcare Advocacy Program is to assist the individuals we are referred to by connecting them to resources in our community and by empowering them to make decisions that will help them reach their goals. The role of our Healthcare Advocates is NOT to tell survivors what to do, but to provide them with options and allow them to choose which options they want to take.

Our Healthcare Advocacy volunteers are truly the backbone to this crucial program. Without their dedication and support, our Healthcare Advocacy Program would not be able to operate 24/7.

Check out the information below and reach out to carson.buffington@safehome-ks.org to learn more about this AMAZING volunteer opportunity.

Responsibilities & Requirements

Our Healthcare Advocates are responsible for responding to referrals from our community partners when they are on-call. They work directly with domestic violence survivors and provide advocacy.

Healthcare Advocates assist survivors in creating safety plans, understanding power/control dynamics, and getting connected to Safehome services and other community resources.

Some of the requirements for being a Healthcare Advocate are as follows:

Undergo 40 hours of extensive training so they are equipped with the tools they need to be advocates for DV survivors.
Comfortable working in a medical setting and high-pressured situations.
Available to pick up at least two 12-hour on-call shifts per month.
Must be reliable. If you are on-call, a Healthcare Advocate must be able to respond to the referral.
Not have any unresolved trauma.
Capable of working with diverse or marginalized groups.

Coverage

Safehome’s Healthcare Advocacy Program strives to have in person or over-the-phone advocacy available 24/7.

Currently, Safehome is seeking volunteer coverage within the following time frames:

Daytime Shifts:

Sunday 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Saturday 6:00AM to 6:00 PM

Evening/Overnight Shifts:

Sunday 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM

Monday 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM

Tuesday 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM

Wednesday 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM

Thursday 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM

Friday 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM

Saturday 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM

If you are unsure these times will work with your schedule, feel free to reach out to Safehome’s Healthcare Coordinator, Carson Buffington. She would be happy to discuss the on-call schedule in farther detail and what kind of coverage opportunities are available to volunteers.

Hospitals

Safehome’s Healthcare Advocacy Program collaborates with all of the hospitals and medical facilities in Johnson and Miami County. Some of Safehome’s Healthcare Advocacy community partners include:

AdventHealth
Johnson County Mental Health
KU MedWest
Menorah Medical Center
Miami County Medical Center
Olathe Medical Center
Overland Park Regional Medical Center
Saint Joseph Medical Center
Saint Luke’s South Hospital

*This is not an exclusive list. There are many other medical facilities Safehome’s Healthcare Advocates respond to.

Sign Me Up!

If you are interested in learning more about becoming a volunteer for Safehome’s Healthcare Advocacy Program, please contact our Healthcare Coordinator. Her contact information is listed below:

Carson Buffington
(913) 378-1533
carson.buffington@safehome-ks.org

Click here to download a printable application!
*If you do not have access to a printer or scanner, please email carson.buffington@safehome-ks.org to receive a fillable form.

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