Staff Spotlight: July 2021

A huge welcome to Sarah Loebs and Alyssa Bolin! These two are our new Crisis Case Managers. We are so grateful for your hard work and dedication to our clients!

Sarah Loebs

1.)    What is your position at the WCA, and how long have you been in that position?

S: I’m a Crisis Case Manager and I’ve been in this position for just over 3 months.
A: My position is a Crisis Case Manager, and I just recently started at the WCA in May of 2021

2.)    What are the duties of that position?

S: Our primary responsibilities are conducting assessments for shelter and answering the domestic violence and sexual assault hotlines during business hours. This can include getting people connected to our clinical or case management teams, as well as referring them to outside resources. Aside from the crisis lines, we do some coordinating between the crisis center and the shelter, such as bringing over mail and sorting through donations. At least one of us is stationed at the crisis center during business hours to serve walk-in clients.

Alyssa Bolin

A: As a CCM, there are a handful of duties included in the position. The main duty of the position includes answering the Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence hotlines and referring clients to various resources both within the WCA as well as within the community. Myself and the other CCM also conduct assessments with clients who are interested in our shelter program and check clients in weekly to hold their place on our waitlist. Another duty of the position is to sort through donations provided by the community, and direct specific items to be delivered to the shelters for our residential clients to utilize. Our downtown office is staffed by either myself or the other Crisis Case Manager to ensure any walk-in clients are provided resources and any assistance needed.

3.)    Where did you work previously?

S: Before this job, I was volunteering at Faces of Hope while working on getting my bachelor’s in psychology from Boise State. I knew I wanted to help people, and my education gave me opportunities to try that out in a lot of different ways. When I started learning about victim advocacy and the process of helping people heal from and escape domestic violence, I felt like I was finally where I needed to be.
A:  I graduated from Oregon State University in September of 2020 with a degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice. I worked as a Victim Advocate intern at the Benton County District Attorney’s Office during my last year of college and found my passion in helping survivors. Prior to working at the WCA, I worked as a Legal Assistant at a law firm in Kennewick, Washington. I moved to Idaho in May of this year, and am extremely excited about my opportunities in Idaho and at the WCA.

4.)    What brought you to the WCA? 

S: I was so excited when I saw the position for CCM– it was everything I had been looking for. Starting a new job can be overwhelming, but as I started meeting everyone, I realized that the WCA really does have the kindest, most supportive employees and that’s so important with work like this.
A: I have always held a passion for working with survivors but was not finding many career opportunities in Washington where I was previously living. I, fortunately, had family in the Boise area who came across the Crisis Case Manager position, and I knew I had to apply. A few weeks later, I was fortunate to be offered a job and we decided to relocate to Boise!

5.)    What is most rewarding about this position?

S: The most rewarding part is giving a client hope when they feel like they’re in a hopeless situation. As the Crisis Case Managers, we’re often the first point of contact. A lot of the people we work with don’t know what they need or how to access it, which can cause them to feel frustrated and confused. I love seeing the change in their demeanor when they realize that I believe them and that they’re working with an organization that really does want to help.
A:  The most rewarding part of this position is knowing I am helping survivors to the best of my ability, as well as all of the learning opportunities along the way.

6.)    What do you look forward to as you continue in this position?

S: I look forward to continuing to help people every day. Although the job can be difficult at times, it’s worth it to know that we’re making a difference in the community. I also look forward to continuing to learn and grow within the field, since my background is in psychology rather than social work.
A:  I look forward to growing my skill set, learning about more resources in the area to provide more assistance to our clients, and making a difference in my community.

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