What is a Clubhouse?
“Clubhouse” is a community-based, social and vocational
rehabilitation program based on the world famous Fountain House
model. This model features "work" and “membership”
as the primary methods for providing participants with increased
opportunities in employment, housing, education, skill development,
and social activities. Based on the successful model established
by Fountain House in NYC in 1948, the unique feature of clubhouses
is the focus on work as the primary rehabilitative tool through
which members are engaged and recover functioning. Member participation
and involvement in all aspects of clubhouse operation, functions,
and decision-making is integral to the clubhouse model as are
peer support, education, self-determination, responsibility, and
the opportunity to be employed in real work settings.
Mental Health Consumers throughout Pennsylvania experience the
process of mental health recovery through the personal empowerment
achieved through clubhouse membership. Above all, clubhouses are
a place of hope!
Pennsylvania Clubhouse Coalition
Beginning in the 1970s with the early development of
psychiatric rehabilitation philosophy and principles, many programs
were established with the name “clubhouse.” While
many of these programs provide effective and needed services,
not all of these “clubhouses” follow ICCD clubhouse
standards. ICCD clubhouses follow a very unique model of psychiatric
rehabilitation. See the ICCD web site at www.iccd.org
for more inforamtion.
The Pennsylvania Clubhouse Coalition (PCC) was founded in October
1993 by four clubhouses, which follow the 35 clubhouse standards
established by the International Center for Clubhouse Development
(ICCD), based in Fountain House, New York City. Over the past
10 years, the PCC has grown to 27 clubhouses. These clubhouses
are committed to supporting the growth and recovery of people
with mental illness, and to reducing the stigma associated with
having a mental illness in the community, especially through employment.
The the Pennsylvania Clubhouse Coalition serves
as a forum to facilitate the enhancement of ICCD clubhouse rehabilitation
programs and to improve the lives of people with mental illness
in Pennsylvania.
Functions of the PA
Clubhouse Coalition
- To provide a definition of a clubhouse for Pennsylvania.
- To articulate clubhouse positions on issues that affect the
interests of adults with mental illness.
- To educate and advise others throughout the State by clarifying
the role of clubhouses in the array of services offered in the
mental health system.
- To support the development of new clubhouses.
- To support the enhancement of existing clubhouses.
- To develop educational forums related to clubhouse issues.
- To facilitate outcome studies on the effectiveness of clubhouse
programs and disseminate the results.
- To secure funding in Pennsylvania for Transitional Employment
as defined by the ICCD Standards.
- To facilitate the networking of clubhouses statewide.
Pennsylvania Clubhouse Coalition (PCC) - Member
Criteria
PCC Vision and Strategic
Plan
Please visit the PA Clubhouse Coalition at www.paclubhouse.org.
What is the Fairweather Lodge Program?
The Fairweather Lodge Program helps people reintegrate themselves
into the community by providing emotional support, a place to
live, and employment for its members. The program was developed
by Dr. George Fairweather in California in 1963 as a result of
extensive experimental research. In his studies, Dr. Fairweather
found that people with serious mental illness are less likely
to return to the hospital when they live and work together as
a group, rather than live and work individually. His research
also showed that the lodge program helps people stay in the community
longer, provides more employment opportunities, and costs less
than conventional treatment programs. Because of the success of
the original groups, the Community Lodge Program has expanded
considerably during the past 25 years and there are now lodges
across the nation.
How Does A Lodge Operate?
Typically, lodges are small groups of four to eight people who
share a house and own a small business. Each group must select
a business to operate, for which they develop and implement a
business plan. Lodge businesses have included lawn care, custodial
or laundry services, printing, furniture building, shoe repair,
catering, and other services. Lodge members assume specific positions
of responsibility within the household and the business. For example,
the business may have a manager and a crew chief; the household,
a cook and a medication supervisor. There are no live-in staff
members at any lodge, although each lodge has access to a professional
who is available for training and consultation whenever the group
requests his or her help. Staff members are also on call 24 hours
a day for emergencies. In addition, lodge members hire professional
consultants - such as accountants and lawyers - to assist with
lodge business operation. Responsibility for the house and business
improves the member's self-confidence and helps them become more
independent by giving them a stable role in the community.
What Are The Program Principles?
- Consumers must have a stake in the system.
- The program must provide consumers as much autonomy as possible.
- Options for promotion and rising to a higher status must be
provided.
- Values of the larger society should be reflected.
- The program must reflect the characteristics of the environment
in which it exists.
- Tolerance of harmless individual idiosyncrasies must be established.
- Feedback must be provided on the problem-solving abilities
of the consumers.
- Open entry and exit for consumers must be provided.
- Both rehabilitative and work norms should be supported.
- Program should not be dependent on good will of the community
in which it exists.
Please visit The Coalition for Community Living web site at www.theccl.org.
