Mental Health in the Community
Interested in getting involved in mental health advocacy and education outside of our chapter? Read further for more opportunities on campus and in the community! Click on the title of each opportunity for a link to more information.
General Volunteer and Internship Opportunities
Active Minds offers three-month internships in the Fall, Spring and Summer seasons. The internships are geared towards current college students or recent college graduates. Please note that the internships are unpaid, and you must be able to commit to a minimum of 20 hours a week to be considered. All internships are based out of our national office in Washington, DC unless otherwise noted. Start dates and end dates are flexible in the event of school and travel schedules.
Common positions available:
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Communications Internship
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Fundraising & Marketing Internship
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Mental Health Awareness Internship
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Speakers Bureau Internship
Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board
The Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board is the public agency that plans, organizes and provides services for people in our community who have mental illness, substance use disorders, and/or intellectual disability. As a volunteer with the CSB, you may provide direct service, offer administrative support, or help with special projects. Flexible times and days are available, including some evening and weekend opportunities, as well as during regular weekday hours. Positions are available throughout Fairfax County and the cities of Fairfax and Falls Church.
NAMI NoVa Volunteer Opportunities and Internships
It is only through our dedicated and passionate volunteers that we are able to provide grassroots peer- and family-led education and support programs throughout Northern Virginia! In addition to program leader volunteer opportunities, staff-support volunteer opportunities are open at the start of each year in marketing/social media, marketing/design and publish, community outreach, and advocacy. Volunteer opportunities are open year-round in advocacy and programming.
Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute: Free Time Activities Volunteer
NVMHI provides intensive treatment to individuals with acute mental health needs living in Northern Virginia. Volunteers are needed to provide activities to individuals during their free time on weekdays between the hours of 9:30 am and 3:00 pm. Volunteers will spend time engaging individuals through conversations or playing board games. A fingerprint based criminal history check and drug test will be required prior to volunteering in this position. We need a commitment to volunteering for six months for this position.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Internship Program
The SAMHSA Internship Program introduces students to the important role SAMHSA plays in ensuring a productive life in the community for everyone. Interns gain practical experience through projects, special assignments, or research that support federal, state, and community-based programs, policies, and best practices in the prevention and treatment of substance abuse and mental illness. Interns work 40 hours a week at SAMHSA's headquarters in Rockville, MD, on meaningful projects, gaining real-life exposure to areas aligned with their course of study. Students earn a stipend of $380 a month. Interns work for 15 weeks in the fall and spring sessions and 10 weeks in the summer session. SAMHSA provides shared housing for non-local interns who live more than 50 miles from SAMHSA Headquarters, 1 Choke Cherry Road, Rockville, Maryland. Non-local interns who find and pay for their own housing are reimbursed up to $600 a month.
Phoenix House is a nationally recognized and accredited behavioral healthcare provider, specializing in the treatment and prevention of substance use disorders and co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. Phoenix House’s dedicated volunteers play a crucial role as we continue to serve more than 6,000 individuals each day at over 130 programs throughout the country. From educational workshops to holiday celebrations, our talented volunteer team is instrumental in helping our clients through treatment and into sustained and supported recovery. Call (703) 841-0703 x222 for more information.
The Women's Center: Information and Referral Program Volunteers
The Women's Center is vital community resource, providing mental health counseling, support and education to people in the metropolitan area, regardless of their ability to pay for these services. When a person calls The Women’s Center, the first contact they will have is with a volunteer as part of our Information & Referral (I&R) Program. Responsibilities include answering phones, providing information about The Center and its services, assisting callers with referrals, occasionally handling crisis calls, and assisting walk-in clients. Volunteers are responsible for a weekly 4-hour shift working the I&R program; shifts are Monday – Friday, 9:00 am -1 pm, or 1 pm – 5 pm.
Hotlines
CrisisLink trains 60-80 crisis workers per year to operate and answer our hotline, text line and CareRing programs. Our Crisis Workers receive 55 hours of initial training, including ASIST certification (Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training). Each Crisis Worker receives didactic training, on-the job training as well as small group sessions to meet the needs of most learning styles. Every volunteer receives one on one mentoring and guidance to improve skills, process material and successfully integrate all of our Crisis Workers. A training fee of $100 is required and covers the materials provided to each trainee. Application and interview required; must be 21 years old. For more information, contact kcheng@prsinc.org or call (703) 516-6778 if you have questions.
Crisis Text Line is the nation’s first free, 24/7 textline for people in crisis. Volunteer crisis counselors use a web-based platform to provide emotional support to texters who are dealing with a wide range of issues – bullying, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, and more. Commitment is one 4 hour shift a week for a year.
IMAlive volunteers make a life changing commitment to respond to people in crisis with their time, talents and empathy. Before our volunteers begin responding they will complete approximately 20 hours of training, receive certification by a licensed clinician, and pledge to complete 200 hours of volunteer service within the first year.
Volunteer/Intern Information Specialists respond to calls and emails from individuals looking to the HelpLine for information on mental illness, treatment options, recovery strategies, NAMI program and support group information as well as the opportunity to speak with someone that understands and cares. All volunteers work from the NAMI office in Arlington, VA, for at least one 4 hour shift per week and commit to being available for at least 4 to 6 months. Volunteers receive extensive training and a travel allowance. The link takes you to their job openings page; there aren't always positions available.
Part-Time or PRN Employment
INOVA Fairfax Medical Center: Mental Health Technician I
Performs patient safety rounds, monitors patient behavior, assists with ADLs, feeding, bathing, hygiene, ambulation, takes vital signs and blood glucose, maintains unit logs, performs belongings checks and acts as visitor receptionist, orients patients and families to unit and unit routines, reports clinical signs and symptoms to the RN. Works with team on quality improvement initiatives. Click the link and type in "mental health" as a keyword to search for openings. Part-time and PRN positions offered.
Psychiatric Rehabilitation Servives: Consumer Support Specialist
PRS, Inc. is a community-based nonprofit organization established in 1963, with programs throughout Northern Virginia and DC. Consumer support specialists:
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Provide outreach and support to clients, ages 16-40, recovering from a first episode of psychosis;
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Facilitate skill-teaching groups; and
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Provide information on the recovery process and will promote opportunities to enhance the ability of clients served to move into recovery.
Must have: a high school diploma or GED, a valid driver's license with a good driving record, a vehicle or access to a vehicle, strong presentation skills with ability to build rapport quickly with clients and internal/external providers, strong diplomatic communication and interpersonal skills, and be a consumer (past or present) of mental health services.