About the role#
As a Peer Recovery Coach Intern at Bright Harbor Healthcare, you will use your personal experience with substance use recovery to support individuals in active use or early recovery. This role focuses on a low-threshold approach, meeting people where they are without requiring abstinence. You will complete the 500 hours of supervised work experience and attend clinical and administrative supervision required for state peer certification.
What you'll do#
- Conduct mobile and foot-based outreach in community hot-spots, encampments, and public spaces.
- Build trust with vulnerable individuals through non-judgmental engagement.
- Distribute life-saving supplies, including naloxone, fentanyl test strips, and safer-use kits.
- Guide participants through healthcare and social service systems to help them secure insurance, food, and identification.
- Facilitate warm handoffs to detox, inpatient care, Medication-Assisted Treatment, and housing resources.
- Provide support at emergency shelters during Code Red and Code Blue weather activations.
- De-escalate tense situations and monitor safety for individuals seeking refuge in shelters.
- Maintain accurate documentation of your service hours for certification board submission.
What you'll need#
- Personal, self-identified lived experience with substance use and a sustained period of stable recovery. 1-2 years of recovery is preferred.
- A High School Diploma or GED equivalent.
- Completion of foundational Peer Recovery Coach training hours or a willingness to complete them immediately.
- Knowledge of harm reduction philosophy.
- Strong communication, boundary-setting, and conflict de-escalation skills.
- Ability to walk for extended periods during outdoor outreach and work in varying weather conditions.
Location & details#
- This is an on-site internship based in Toms River, New Jersey.
- This position is unpaid and full-time.
- We accept applications on a rolling basis.
About Bright Harbor Healthcare
Bright Harbor Healthcare operates as a nonprofit provider of mental health services in Ocean County. Founded in 1959, the organization maintains multiple locations and employs between 201 and 500 staff members. It offers a variety of programs including counseling, residential housing, and a therapeutic school for children. The agency relies on community support and partnerships to deliver care to adults, children, and families.
How to get in at Bright Harbor Healthcare
Applying early to Bright Harbor Healthcare provides a distinct advantage because recruiters review applications as they arrive. Intern Insider sends an instant alert the moment a role matching your target is published anywhere, so you apply among the first before the pile grows. This helps you avoid the common frustration of waiting for a response that never comes. Reaching out to the right person at Bright Harbor Healthcare often beats waiting in a queue. Intern Insider surfaces the recruiters behind the company roles so you can contact them directly to ask about the position or a referral. This direct approach materially improves your response rates and helps you stand out from the crowd.
