Behavioral Health & Recovery Services Blog

The BHRS ODE Internship Program is designed to provide work opportunities and practical learning experiences for undergraduate and graduate students to enhance their academic learning and expose them to public service at the county level. For the 2025-2026 internship program, we are looking to extend training opportunities to two interns.

All interns will have the opportunity to support the BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity (across programs) and participate in a Health Equity Initiative. At the end of the internship term, each intern will participate in sharing a presentation with the BHRS ODE staff describing their experience and the work they did during their time as an intern. For each program area, sample tasks are listed below. Please note – some programs may have limited capacity to support students. We make every effort to match the student with their preferred program of interest, yet some programs may not have the capacity to accommodate every request.

Qualifications:
Required
To be eligible for this program, you must meet the following requirements:

• An undergraduate or graduate student enrolled in an accredited college or university. Recent graduates (up to one year after graduation) are also eligible.
• Available to work 20 hybrid hours per week. This includes the ability to work from home and at the BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity (in Belmont, CA) beginning the week of September 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026.
• NOT a current employee of San Mateo County.
• A requirement to work 8-hours in the office weekly and attend mandatory BHRS ODE staff meetings, in person, on the 1st & 3rd Fridays of each month. (Staff meetings count toward your 8-hour requirement).
• Must have reliable transportation
• When responding to the supplemental questions in the Survey Monkey application, please share your personal experience using real life examples supported by your work and/or life experiences.
• Acceptance of the BHRS ODE internship is contingent upon completing a San Mateo County Human Resource application and passing a criminal background check.

Desired
We would strongly prefer a candidate with the following qualities:

• Passion for advancing equity, wellness, and recovery for culturally diverse and marginalized communities and our workforce
• Personal experience with or knowledge of inequities related to behavioral health
• Experience working with culturally diverse and marginalized communities
• Multicultural and/or multilingual skills
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong organizational and detail-oriented skills
• Ability to prioritize time-sensitive assignments
• Ability to work well in teams and independently
• Ability to offer flexible hours including occasional evenings and weekends

Term and Stipend
This BHRS ODE Internship runs from September to June and is paid through a stipend of $14,000 (before taxes) funded by the Mental Health Services Act. Interns must commit to working 20-hours per week for the BHRS ODE division from the week of September 1, 2025, to June 30, 2026. Interns are required to remain active for the full 20-hours per week in the BHRS ODE internship program and complete the entire term of the agreement. The stipend is considered taxable income.

How to Apply
Complete the application and supplemental questions. Only completed applications will be reviewed. If you would like an alternative way to apply or have any accessibility requests, please email HS_BHRS_Internships@smcgov.org for assistance. In addition to completing the application and supplemental questions, please upload your cover letter and resume after the references section below. Applications must be submitted by May 2, 2025. Only completed applications will be reviewed. Please contact us if you do not receive a confirmation that we received your application.

Application link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ODE25-26

About the County of San Mateo Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS)
At the County of San Mateo, we take pride in the way our employees bring together their lived experience, diverse backgrounds, and perspectives to serve our community’s needs. The County of San Mateo Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) provides a broad spectrum of services for children, youth, families, adults, and older adults for the prevention, early intervention, and treatment of behavioral health concerns. The county is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.

About the BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity
The BHRS Office of Diversity and Equity (ODE) advances health equity in behavioral health outcomes of marginalized communities throughout the County of San Mateo. BHRS ODE is dedicated to addressing health inequities and stigma in the areas of behavioral health while supporting wellness and recovery. BHRS ODE works to achieve these goals by promoting culturally and trauma-informed practices, which is rooted in principles of social justice. To learn more about BHRS ODE’s work, visit: www.smchealth.org/bhrs/ODE.