ASTOP Sexual Abuse Center

Volunteer Policy and Procedures

 

1.    All ASTOP crisis line and emergency room advocates must complete

         volunteer training.

 

2.    All volunteers are required to sign a confidentiality statement and keep

        confidential all information learned while volunteering for ASTOP.

 

3.    Crisis line volunteers are required to commit to one year of service after

        volunteer training is completed.

 

4.    Crisis line volunteers are required to commit to 24 hours per month on the

      crisis line – 12 hours during the week and 12 hours on weekends or

      Holidays (6:00 a. m. – Midnight).

 

5.    If sexual assault has been an issue in the past, the volunteer must have

        worked through those issues successfully at least 2 years before

       volunteering for ASTOP.

 

6.    Emergency room advocates are to meet clients/survivors in the emergency

       room only.

 

7.    Crisis line volunteers who are unable to cover an assigned shift should find

        their own replacements for that shift.  Once a replacement is found, the

      volunteer must call the ASTOP office to make them aware of the switch.

      If the call is made during business hours, Monday through Friday from

        8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., the office staff will inform the answering service

        about the change.  If the change is made on a weekend for that

        same weekend, the volunteer is responsible for contacting the answering

        service to make them aware of the change.  The ASTOP office must

       also be called and a message can be left on voice mail about the schedule

       change.

 

8.    ASTOP volunteers are mandated reporters to the Department of Social

        Services (DSS) for any information received involving someone under the

        age of 18.  ASTOP volunteers are still required to contact DSS even if the

        police officer or SANE says they will make the call.

 

9.    Volunteers are required to attend at least one volunteer meeting per year

        after training is completed.

 

10.  When scheduled for crisis line, volunteers are not to leave their home

       during their shift to perform medical advocacy.  Notify the answering

       service that you are the crisis line advocate and not the medical

        advocate-they should page the volunteers on the medical advocate list.

 

11.  ASTOP will pay a subpoenaed emergency room advocate a court

       appearance fee of $50 for 1 day.  ASTOP will not pay for cancelled and

       changed court dates.