Behavioral Health Bridge Housing InternAt — Grandma's House of Hope

About us :

Grandma’s House of Hope has expanded its Rescued and Restored Housing Program by participating in a pilot Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) initiative in North Orange County. In 2024, GHH opened four new homes to house and support individuals with serious mental illness (SMI)—many of whom also experience co-occurring substance use disorders (SUD)—and are experiencing chronic homelessness.

This pilot program advances our mission of “We provide vulnerable adults experiencing homelessness in Orange County with emergency and transitional housing to regain stability, well-being, and lasting self-sufficiency.” The BHBH program operates under a Housing First, harm-reduction model, with virtually no barriers to entry. We are seeking dedicated individuals to join this impactful initiative and help foster stability, housing, and long-term well-being among some of Orange County’s most vulnerable populations.

The Behavioral Health Bridge Housing Intern will assist with the day-to-day operations of the in-office components of the BHBH program. Internship duties will take place at locations in North Orange County (specific sites will be disclosed upon acceptance into the program).

Qualifications

• Students pursuing undergraduate or graduate degrees in a related field such as human services, social services, or another relevant area are preferred.
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, are desired
• Comfortable working in settings in low-income neighborhoods
• Bilingual-lingual preferred (Spanish) preferred
• Mature and can provide compassionate care while being professional and approachable
• Organized, reliable, & takes initiative
• Open & willing to learn
• Complete Live Scan (Required - Paid by organization)

Responsibilities:

• Organizing participant files
• Learning how to complete participant intakes
• Learn data and tracking systems to improve program success
• Helping to evaluate participant’s progress in the program
• Assisting with the search for stable housing
• Assisting with any tasks delegated by the Case Manager

Objectives:

• Improved understanding of case management operations
• Learn core services provided to men and women we assist
• Learn the intake process, policies and procedures
• Participant interaction skills development
• Gained familiarity with participant evaluation
• Develop effective communication and cultural competency with people from a variety of cultures, education levels, and backgrounds
• Increased teamwork skills through collaboration with staff

Physical Demands: In the course of performing this job, the incumbent typically spends time sitting, walking, standing, listening/speaking, writing and operating a personal computer. S/he will be required to drive an automobile or use public transportation to attend meetings within the community. S/he is expected to lift and carry office records and supplies up to 40 lbs on an occasional basis. Reasonable accommodations may be arranged to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential duties of the job.

Work Environment: The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate and fast paced. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions when driving to and from meetings. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job.

Training:

Interns will complete the following mandatory trainings administered through the Orange County Health Care Agency: Cultural Competency, Annual Provider, and Annual Compliance. In addition, they will complete an online training on crisis intervention. Interns will also have the opportunity to attend in-person trainings offered by our organization and may choose to participate in additional trainings available through our training catalog.

Learning Outcomes:

• Develop an Understanding of Case Management in Housing Programs
  By the end of the internship, the student will be able to demonstrate an understanding of case management practices within emergency and transitional housing programs that operate under a Housing First and harm-reduction model
• Strengthen Communication and Cultural Competency
  By the end of the internship, the student will be able to effectively and empathetically communicate with individuals from diverse backgrounds, applying culturally competent and trauma-informed approaches during participant interactions.
• Enhance Professional Readiness in Human Services
  By the end of the internship, the student will be able to demonstrate professionalism in an human services environment by collaborating effectively with staff, taking initiative, and incorporating feedback received

Risks Note:

Interns are never left alone while on-site; a trained staff member is always present during interactions with clients, especially when working with high-risk populations. We provide online crisis de-escalation training to all interns. Our Staff have also completed this training. We also evaluate each intern’s responsibilities to ensure tasks are appropriate to their training level and comfort.

Behavioral Health Crisis Policy
Grandma's House of Hope is dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of both staff and participants. To address any situation where behavior might pose a risk of harm to oneself or others, we have established ongoing mechanisms for safety and support. This policy outlines the procedures to follow if a participant exhibits behavior that could potentially cause injury or harm.

Opiate Overdose Emergency Treatment Policy
Grandma's House of Hope wants to ensure the safety of all of our participants. Recognizing the increase of overdose deaths, Grandma's House of Hope has initiated a policy to address this issue.

Grandma’s House Of Hope Is An Equal Opportunity Employer.

GHH actively works to foster a diverse and inclusive environment for our staff, volunteers, and participants. GHH recognizes the importance of employing people who reflect the diverse backgrounds and life experiences of our participants in order to create a welcoming program. GHH’s staff reflects that commitment, allowing us to relate to our participants linguistically and culturally. We believe that these lived experiences among our staff allow us to relate at a deeper, more authentic level with our participants.

We celebrate our inclusive work environment and encourage folks of all backgrounds and perspectives to apply. We are committed to having an inclusive and transparent environment where every voice is heard and acknowledged. We strongly encourage applications from women, people of color, LGBTQIA and other marginalized communities.  GHH is committed to a barrier-free recruitment process and work environment. Please reach out to info@grandmashouseofhope.org or 714.558.8600 if any accommodations are needed.