Policy Intern

Summary

Join Hopelab's Strategic Communications and Policy Team as a Policy Intern for a part-time, remote internship (20-30 hours/week) running from late-July to mid-December 2025. This internship offers flexible hours to accommodate school schedules. You will support Hopelab's policy agenda focusing on youth mental health, Medicaid, social media, AI, and related intersectional issues. The internship involves tracking and analyzing legislation, conducting research, creating information briefs, supporting educational briefings, and developing content for Hopelab's policy webpage. Successful candidates will have coursework in public policy or health policy, familiarity with legislative processes, strong research and writing skills, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively. Compensation is $33.00/hr, and mentorship will be provided by the Policy Director.

Requirements

• Complete coursework in public policy, health policy (Behavioral Health and/or Public Health), and/or research methods
• Have general familiarity and/or experience with state and federal legislative processes
• Possess strong research and writing skills
• Have the ability to communicate clearly and effectively
• Possess strong organizational skills and the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks
• Have the ability to work collaboratively and also independently on projects
• Have basic familiarity with the U.S. health system, including mental health

Responsibilities

• Track and analyze youth mental health (YMH) legislation and regulations at both the state and federal levels
• Provide research assistance for YMH-related policy concepts
• Create information briefs on relevant policy topics
• Support educational briefings on YMH policy topics
• Work with the Policy Director and Hopelab Strategic Communications colleagues on developing content for the Hopelab Policy webpage

Preferred Qualifications

• Have experience translating policy into public products through writing or graphics work
• Be currently enrolled in a graduate degree program in the social sciences; MPH / MPP programs strongly recommended
• Demonstrate interest in youth mental health and well-being, technology, and equity
• Be a problem-solver with a strong ability to work independently
• Have strong attention to detail
• Work well under deadlines

Benefits

• Compensation : $33.00/hr
• Mentorship and Learning : Guidance and mentorship will be provided by the Hopelab Policy Director
• The Policy Intern will be integrated into the Strategic Communication and Policy Team project management, including regular meetings
• By the end of their term, the intern will have increased their knowledge and skills in research and analysis of youth mental health policy, gained experience in working on cross-functional teams, developed content that supports Hopelab’s policy mission, and gained knowledge of the landscape of youth mental health policy at both the state and federal level