Why Work At Persad
Our Mission is our work
At Persad, our mission is in every room- not just a staff meeting discussion. It’s in every session, every group, and every conversation with a client or a colleague.
Who We are Shapes How We care
LGBTQ+ clinicians and staff at Persad often describe their experience the same way: it’s the first place they’ve worked where they haven’t had to separate their professional and personal selves. The values that guide their work are the same values they carry into their everyday lives.
At Persad, we value lived experience alongside clinical expertise because we know affirming care is built on more than clinical knowledge alone. Our team brings a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives, united by a shared commitment to providing compassionate, respectful, and affirming care.
You don’t have to belong to a specific community to work at Persad. What matters is that you share our mission, embrace our values, and believe everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. Here, you don’t have to leave your authentic self at the door. We believe the people who provide care should feel just as supported, valued, and empowered as the people they serve.
Specialized Work With Outcomes You Can See
Working with communities who haven’t felt listened to is specialized clinical work. It requires specific knowledge, specific skills, and a special kind of professional commitment. The people you serve at Persad often have complex histories with behavioral health systems, and have sometimes been harmed by prior providers. When you earn their trust, you see the outcomes:
A client who finally stops managing their care around a provider’s discomfort. The family who rallies around a transgender child because they had a safe and supportive place to ask questions. Someone with HIV who begins to separate their diagnosis from their sense of self. The work is challenging, but the impact is real.
The greatest reward from a career at Persad is ending each day knowing you’ve made a meaningful difference in someone’s life.
A Team That Takes the Work Seriously
Persad provides clinical internships, supervision, peer consultation, and ongoing professional development. Supervision isn’t a checkbox. It is where clinical questions get examined, where providers get support, and where our high standard of care is reinforced and developed.
Persad’s entire team chose this work. Our culture of shared purpose is hard to find in a typical behavioral health setting. Persad’s team stays,and leads to a continuity of care that makes us who we are.
Join us and make a difference.
- Do you crave purpose, passion, and meaning in your work?
- Do you want to be able to talk about your partner or partners with full acceptance?
- Are you committed to LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS+ individuals having access to high-quality mental health care?
- Do you want to bring your whole unique self to work?
Persad Center is an affirming, inspiring and rewarding place to work.
Work with Purpose.
Persad is strongly aligned with a united purpose. We are committed to improving the well-being of the LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning) communities and the HIV/AIDS community in Pittsburgh and throughout Pennsylvania.
Everything we do is framed with the lens, “how does this help our community?
If you have a passion for providing a high level of compassionate and affirming care, we would love to talk to you.
At Persad, we want you to be yourself.
- Do you struggle to understand why people judge an individual's appearance before even getting to know them?
- Do you want to be able to talk about your partner or partners freely?
- Do you want your pronouns respected and your gender identity affirmed?
- Do you want bring your whole unique self to work?
We want you to BE YOURSELF!
You Can Make a Difference
Persad has been sustained by community support for over 50 years. Financial contributions, in-kind donations, and volunteer time all make a direct difference in the care and services we can provide.
Donate
Your gift funds therapy for clients who can't afford it, keeps the food pantry stocked, supports Phoenix Fitness, and helps Persad continue responding when the community needs something new.
Current Needs
In-kind donations of food, hygiene products, fitness equipment, and supplies make a real difference. Our current needs list is updated regularly.
Volunteer
Volunteers support events, outreach, the food pantry, administrative work, and more. If you want to put your time toward something that matters, Persad has a place for you.