Health - Climate & Mental Health Internship

The Climate & Mental Health Internship at 1000 Multnomah County in Portland, OR, offers a temporary position for college students, focusing on the intersections of climate and mental health. Interns will provide support through research, communication, and social media engagement. The role allows for hybrid work, with most tasks being remote, though occasional in-person meetings may be required. The internship spans 12 weeks during Summer 2025, with a pay rate of $24 per hour.
Current employees: Please apply through the employee portal to be considered for this opportunity. Pay Range: $15.95 - $30.00 Hourly Department: Health Department Job Type: Intern Exemption Status: United States of America (Non-Exempt) Closing Date (Open Until Filled if No Date Specified): April 15, 2025 The Opportunity: Climate & Mental Health Internship College to County Intern 2025 - Behavioral Health Division Pay Rate: $24 per hour Job Type: Temporary College Intern Duration: Summer 2025 - Starting in June - 12 weeks. There is the option/preference for the candidate to spread their worked hours over the course of 6-9 months. Hours: 20 - 40 hours a week (360 hours total) Telework: Hybrid Building Physical Location: 847 NE 19th Avenue Suite 350 Portland, OR 97232 Does This Position Require Driving a County Vehicle? If so, please explain why and frequency: Most meetings are virtual and the intern’s individual tasks and responsibilities can be done remotely. But there can be occasional in-person meetings and events throughout Multnomah County that may require personal or public transportation. TriMet Passes are available if transportation to County facilities is required. Eligibility requirements and more details found on our College to County website. The Climate & Mental Health collaborative is the synergistic work of several MultCo programs that understands that if the problems are interconnected, the solutions should be interconnected too. In our case, by de-siloing ourselves and working as part of a whole, we can better help our communities’ address the impacts of climate disruption and emergencies not only on their physical health but also their mental health. We know that extreme weather events and the “creep” of changed climate will adversely affect people’s mental health. The collaborative’s goal is to help mitigate/protect our communities from climate/environmental impacts through enhancing resilience skills, presencing/purposing skills and in the aftermath of an extreme weather events, the ability to “bounce forward” and use climate and mental health adversities to transform their situations through post-traumatic growth. Internship Description & Responsibilities: Provide back-end support to the Climate & Mental Health group. Responsibilities may include: Assist in creating agendas, take meeting notes, calendar scheduling and email communication within the collaborative Conduct literature review and research on the intersections of climate and mental health Internal/External communication White Papers and One-Pagers Create fun, engaging social media posts that incite individual and system changes Event tabling Assist in the analysis of the tri-county Climate-Mental Health Survey Engage and support the nascent Portland Transformational Resilience Coordinating Network (TRCN). Roles and responsibilities would be similar to supporting the Climate & Mental Health collaborative in the above bullet points Learning Outcomes: Complete and become certified in QPR Suicide Prevention Gatekeeper Training and one or more suicide prevention/mental health trainings. Fuller understanding of the connection between climate disruption/emergency and mental health challenges/crisis that has impacted communities in Multnomah County and will only be exacerbated Delve deeper into the Environment/Social/Political Determinants of Health that leads to disproportionate impact on various communities’ ability to mitigate/protect against climate disruption/emergencies and mental health challenges/crisis and suicide ideation/deaths. Experiment in creating new ways to craft messaging, whether that be internal one-pagers to external social media posts, that increases engagement, incites individual and system level changes and veers away from the staid methods in health prevention communication More intimate experience of how programs and departments within Public Health and Behavioral Health Divisions work to serve their communities, maintain health & wellness, address inequities and advance racial/environmental/social justice. Additionally, to engage in cross-pollination work between programs and departments. Education and Minimum Qualifications: Candidates should have completed or enrolled in a college/university academic institution. Passion for environmental justice, advocating for mental health and addressing the environmental/political/social determinants of health Promote a culture of respect, inclusiveness, and appreciation of diverse perspectives, backgrounds, and values (Link to Equity and Empowerment Lens) Experience or comfort with community outreach, including in situations that require verbal de-escalation. Ability to communicate with customers and team members via phone, email, or in person Ability to work cooperatively and develop effective working relationships with diverse work groups. Ability to collaborate, follow directions and work independently. Familiarity with Google Suite (e.g., Gmail, Calendar, Meet, Drive, Docs, and Slides). Diversity and Inclusion: At Multnomah County, we don't just accept difference; we value it and support it to create a culture of dignity and respect for our employees. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran or protected veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics. The EEO Know Your Rights poster is available for your reference. Multnomah County is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We request priority protected veteran referrals. Veterans’ Preference: Under Oregon Law, qualifying veterans may apply for veterans’ preference. Review our veterans’ preference page for details about eligibility and how to apply. Accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act: We gladly provide reasonable accommodation to anyone whose specific disability prevents them from completing an application or participating in this recruitment process. Please contact the recruiter below in advance to request assistance. Individuals with hearing or speech impairments may contact the recruiter through the Telecommunications Relay Service by dialing 711. Questions? Recruiter: Cole Whitehurst Email: cole.whitehurst@multco.us Phone: +1 (971) 2713709 Application information may be used throughout the entire selection process. This process is subject to change without notice. Disclaimer: This announcement is intended as a general descriptive recruitment guide and is subject to change. It does not constitute either an expressed or implied contract. Job Profile: 8007 - College Intern Current Multnomah County employees must apply within Workday We're glad you are considering an internship that gives back and supports the community. Working for Multnomah County means having the opportunity to make a real difference in the community, no matter what position you hold. We provide a wide array of essential services including health, community justice, roads, elections, libraries, jails, bridges, tax and assessment, marriage licenses, animal services, mental health and addiction services, and more. Veterans The Selection Process Jobs Home Job Listings