firsthand is changing the way individuals living with Serious Mental Illness (SMI) get care – by putting them at the center of everything we do. Our peer led model aims to build trust with these individuals, many of whom have been underserved, stigmatized, deprioritized and have very often lost trust in the systems intended to serve them. Our holistic approach includes partnering with our team of peer recovery specialists, licensed social workers and nurse practitioners, and focuses on meeting them where they are and walking with them side by side, as a trusted guide, partner, and first call, on their journeys’ to wellness. 

Our aim is to not only improve lives, but also improve the economics for managed care plans and states responsible for providing care to this community. This enables us to build solutions that scale and, as a result, change the way our society supports those most impacted by SMI.

We are building a team of deeply passionate problem-solvers who are courageous enough to take on one of the country’s most challenging healthcare problems. Those who are up for the task will be rewarded with deeply mission-oriented workdays, mentorship from a similarly motivated team, and a supportive culture that prioritizes learning, creativity, and fun.

firsthand’s Peer Support Internship is a structured training program providing individuals who have received mental health and/or substance use services and are seeking to develop work experience and skills to ultimately become a Peer Support Specialist. The program is designed to allow for interns to obtain 500 hours of work experience, generally completed over the course of 6-9 months in a part-time capacity. They are individuals who are interested in building a career in peer support. Preference will be given to individuals who have previously received support services from firsthand.

The program is focused on teaching individuals to combine their lived experience and specialized training to support some of our most vulnerable citizens, people living with serious mental illness and who are unengaged in outpatient care. Interns will work alongside experienced firsthand Guides (Peer Support Specialists) and other team members as we address an individual’s whole health, both mental and physical, as well as the Social Determinants of Health. The firsthand model of care keeps the individual at the center of what we do, supporting them with our peer guides and resources to help them to engage with and access care, services, and benefits.

As a Peer Support Intern you will:

• Learn the basic skills of peer support.
• Learn how to utilize electronic health records.
• Take the required training for confidentiality and HIPAA.
• Receive CPI training.
• Attend daily team huddles discussing the specific challenges facing the people we serve.
• Assist firsthand Guides in their day-to-day documentation.
• Assist team staff in maintaining the needs of the team.
• Participate in ride-alongs with firsthand Guides and Community Resource Guides.
• Attend support group meetings.
• Learn advanced recovery and self-care skills.
• Peer Support Interns will receive weekly supervision and mentoring provided by peers trained in supervising peer support staff.

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Strong self-care skills.

• Have gained at least 500 hours of work experience in a supervised peer support training program.
• Be prepared to take the required state training and apply for the state’s Certified Peer Recovery Specialist credential.
• Have completed a personal WRAP plan.
• Be eligible to apply for a firsthand Guide position (if CPRS not yet obtained but can be within 6 months, conditional employment is an option); employment as a fG is not automatic or guaranteed, but will be eligible to participate in the application/interview process.

firsthand Benefits:

For Full Time employees, our compensation package includes base, equity and a bonus potential. Our benefits include physical and mental health, dental, vision, 401(k) with a match, 16 weeks parental leave for either parent, flexible vacation, and a supportive culture.

We firmly believe that great candidates for this role may not meet 100% of the criteria listed in this posting. We encourage you to apply anyway - we look forward to getting to know you.

Unfortunately, we are not able to offer sponsorship at this time.