Internship Opportunities

Mental Health America offers a variety of selective internship opportunities at our DC area headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. At MHA, we take pride in considering our internships hands-on learning experiences. If you intern with us, you'll get a wide range of experience as well as access to staff members who can help coach you and teach you practical skills to supplement your education. A general interest in mental health is, of course, a plus in any of our positions.

Our internship opportunities are flexible to work with you. All interns are expected to work at least 20 hours per week, and to be available for 8 weeks (preferably consecutive) during the internship period. However, interns who work closer to a full-time work schedule typically learn more. Opportunities are generally available year-round. Summer positions are the most popular and most competitive. 

To apply: Interested applicants should submit a cover letter and resume to interns@mentalhealthamerica.net. Please reference the internship title in the subject line of the e-mail. The best cover letters tell us why you want to work here.

If you're interested in interning at Mental Health America but you don't find a listing that matches your qualifications, send an e-mail to interns@mentalhealthamerica.net with a brief description of what you're looking for.

Development Intern

At its core, fundraising is about relationships. Mental Health America’s Development Department is successful because it is made up of staff who genuinely enjoy interacting with people, an important asset even in the world of corporate fundraising.

As a Development intern, you will be actively involved in both day-to-day operations and special projects of the Development Department. You will gain valuable experience in building donor relations and maintaining records, as well as conducting online fundraising  and private foundation research.

This position is ideal for students interested in pursuing careers in fundraising, customer relationship management, and business.

When you intern here, you may learn how to:

• Conduct prospect research on individual, foundation, and corporate donors
• Manage donor and grant databases in SalesForce and Excel (prior experience not needed)
• Perform other duties as assigned

An ideal candidate should:

• Have strong writing and editing skills, strong phone presence, and excellent research skills
• Express an interest in a nonprofit career and a desire to learn more about fundraising and marketing 
• Produce high quality, error free work
• Demonstrate adherence to deadlines and the ability to work independently with initiative
• Communicate efficiently and professionally
• Be able to travel within the DC area up to 10%
• Be proficient with Microsoft Office

Public Education Intern

As a Public Education intern, you will work with the Director of Public Education on national-reaching initiatives to increase public understanding of a wide range of mental health conditions, their causes and what can be done to address them or prevent them. 

Interns are accepted year-round for Summer, Fall, and Spring positions.

So what can the Public Education Intern expect to do?

• Research – We want your help to keep our information as current and cutting-edge as possible.
• Writing – Having great information is one thing, but it’s no good unless it can be communicated clearly and effectively across a range of media.
• Web Updates – Since the internet is the primary way that people get health information, it’s important that the information Mental Health America has on its website is current, visually appealing and search engine optimized so it can be found easily.
• Campaign Preparation – Depending on the time of year, you’ll assist with development of either the May is Mental Health Month or Back to School/Back to Campus toolkits.
• Outcomes Measurement – You’ll help find the best ways to track our impact and report on what we’ve accomplished.
• Other Duties – We’ll figure out what skills you have, what you are particularly interested in learning, and how we can put your talents and interests to work. 

An ideal candidate should:

• Have an interest in mental health, writing, or helping others. An interest in public health is critical.
• Have strong writing skills.
• Be familiar with basic Microsoft Office.
• Produce quality, error free work.
• Communicate efficiently and professionally.
• Graphic design and/or web site editing experience is a plus.

Digital Outreach and Engagement Intern

As a Community Engagement Intern, you will be actively involved in developing strategies to engage Mental Health America’s online communities by improving social media presence, developing content and messaging, and planning creative ways to get our name and message out there. You’ll work closely with our team to leverage the power of social media to enhance Mental Health America’s presence on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Youtube, and other platforms. This position is available year-round and is ideal for students interested in pursuing careers in digital media and community engagement.

When you intern here, you will learn how to:

• Strategically use social media to increase message and brand
• Manage and develop online communities
• Create new written and visual digital content
• Create social media campaign initiatives and execute them across a variety of a platforms
• Perform other duties as assigned

You should...

• Have experience working with (but not limited to) Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn to promote a social justice cause
• Have an interest in marketing, business, public relations, or communications
• Be creative and able to work independently
• Have strong writing skills
• Be highly organized, with the ability to prioritize time-sensitive projects
• Produce high quality, error free work
• Communicate efficiently and professionally
• Graphic design and/or video editing skills are a plus.

Non-Profit Accounting/Administration Intern

As an accounting and administration intern, you'll get firsthand experience working with accounting software, analyzing financial data from 990s, reconciling investments, preparing for audits, and much more.

This position is ideal for students who have an interest in finance, accounting, business, non-profit management, and/or office management. Undergraduates, graduate students, and graduates are encouraged to apply. This position is available year-round.

When you intern here, you may learn how to:

• Assist with innovative projects that give you experience into the daily schedule of non-profit work
• Prepare audit backup files
• Reconcile investments
• Analyze financial data from 990s
• Register with state organizations
• Prepare deposits

Additional duties may include contact management, data analysis, tracking, and reporting. 

Ideal candidates:

• Are highly organized and detail oriented
• Have strong writing skills
• Have strong research and analysis skills
• Have the ability to work independently
• Can think critically
• Are proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel or similar software

Public Policy and Legal Intern

This position is ideal for individuals interested in pursuing careers in advocacy, policy, and social work. This position is available to graduate students and graduates only. This position is currently not accepting applications.

As a Public Policy and Legal intern, you will work on state and federal policy around mental health. Based on what the policy priorities are at the time and your specific interests, we can work together to put together a discrete project. An example project would be to create a manual of what Parity Act compliance should look like, legal analysis to explain why this is what the law requires, and how to best determine if the law is being complied with, given low transparency and limited capacity for enforcement. Our organization has a lot of flexibility and a lot of ways we do advocacy – we have 228 affiliate organizations throughout the United States in addition to our national office – and creative ideas are always welcome.

An ideal candidate should:

• Have an interest in helping others
• Have strong writing skills
• Be familiar with basic Microsoft Office
• Produce high quality, error free work
• Communicate efficiently and professionally 

In your cover letter, please mention why you are interested in mental health and any thoughts on the kind of project you might want to work on.

Web and Graphics Intern

This position is ideal for students interested in pursuing careers in marketing, business, new media, communications, and and web/or graphic design. This position is available year round.

As a Web and Graphics Intern, you will be actively involved in developing strategies to increase brand recognition for Mental Health America - improving web layouts, developing web and e-mail messaging content, and planning creative ways to get our name and message out there. You'll make flyers, widgets, buttons, logos. You'll get your hands in a Content Management System.

When you intern here, you may learn how to...

• Design fact sheets, brochures, and other items that will boost your portfolio
• Work with Content Management Systems (we use Drupal) to update information
• Create widgets, buttons, and graphics for web design
• Use a Contact Management System (we use SalesForce) to learn more information about constituents
• Work with Online Marketing platforms (we use Convio) to create e-mails, e-cards, and interactive web pages
• Other duties as assigned

You should...

• Have experience working with Photoshop and InDesign or similar programs
• Have an interest in marketing, business, web design, communications, or graphic design
• Have strong writing skills
• Produce high quality, error free work
• Communicate efficiently and professionally

Basic HTML and/or graphic design experience is a major plus.

Affiliate Services Intern

This position is great for anyone who is interested in a career in non-profit management, business management, or constituency services. Undergraduates, graduate students, and graduates are all encouraged to apply. 

When you intern here, you may be asked to...

• Assist in the maintenance of affiliate information in the MHA database
• Update boundary territory for affiliate organizations in the MHA database and online
• Manage and process reaffiliation information via online form
• Assist with organizing web portal for affiliate organizations
• Assist in creating affiliate surveys, updating affiliate resource guide, etc.
• Compile and track information on affiliate programs for online directory
• Provide logistical and administrative support on various projects

You should...

• Have an interest in business or non-profit management or a passion for assisting others
• Have strong writing skills
• Basic computer processing skills including MS Office.
• Produce high quality, error free work
• Communicate efficiently and professionally

Sales and Marketing Intern

This position is ideal for students interested in pursuing careers in business, marketing, sales, or non-profit management. 

As a Sales and Marketing Intern, you'll get a firsthand experience designing and implementing plans to increase program-related sales revenue at a nonprofit. You'll learn how to come up with target lists and plans to approach different customers. You'll draft presentations and scripts. You'll evaluate advertising options for Return On Investment. And you'll do it all for a great cause.

When you intern here, you'll learn how to...

• Write scripts and design presentations for marketing
• Draft copy and potentially design flyers or marketing materials
• Create business plans
• Research target lists
• Strategize outreach
• Work within an advertising budget
• Meet with exhibitors and conventioneers

You should...

• Have an interest in marketing, business, or sales
• Have strong written and oral communication skills
• Produce high quality, error free work
• Communicate efficiently and professionally

Mental Health America is an equal opportunity employer.