Opportunity Announcement: Public Policy & Advocacy Intern Field Placement
Who We Are
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. The NAMI organization operates at the national, state, and local level. At NAMI Washington, we envision a world where all those impacted by mental health conditions know they are not alone, and are empowered to live their most fulfilling life.
Position Summary
NAMI Washington has a field place with our Public Policy Department. Students in this position will learn how the Washington state legislative system works, analyze behavioral health related legislation, and take the lead
Areas of Focus:
• Learn to navigate the Washington State legislative website leg.wa.gov
• Attend legislative session/hearings as assigned within the field placement schedule for committee days and the 2023 legislative session
• Assist Director of Public Policy & Advocacy in bill analysis and positioning, providing analysis memos
• Lead in planning and implementation of Lobby Day (in person or virtual) including updating legislator & LA lists, making appointments for grassroots activists with their legislators.
• Assist with written materials on legislative priorities for Lobby Day
• Learn electronic Action Alert System (Quorum); create action alerts on priorities as directed
• Oversee post-Lobby Day survey
• Assist with planning and implementation of policy briefing workshops
• Attend relevant coalition and community meetings as assigned and when it fits into the field placement schedule
• Attend NAMI Washington Public Policy Committee meetings
• Attend NAMI Washington Annual State Conference and Leadership Retreat - both as an attendee and as part of the NAMI Washington staff and leaders
• Attend NAMI Washington weekly staff& EDI meetings if they fit into schedule
• Opportunity to assist with agency wide events, and other departments as desired
• Other organizational/department duties as assigned
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
• Ability to analyze complex issues
• Incorporation of NAMI Washington's organizational values of respect, community, kindness, empowerment, and
• integrity into your everyday life and work that you do.
• Comfortable picking up the phone and calling people you have never met, speaking in front of groups, and interacting with people who might be experiencing mental health symptoms.
• Commitment and follow-through to execute all the mundane details that bring programs and presentations to life.
• Extremely organized – even if you’re not naturally detail-oriented – with a system for keeping track of projects.
• Passionate about the way mental health intersects with other lived experiences and identities, and you bring an anti-bias and intersectional lens to the work that you do.
If you are interested in the internship, please email Matthew Kanter, mkanter@namiwa.org, with your resume and a cover letter with details of interest.
Priority Deadline: Tuesday, August 15, 2023 (Open until filled)