Capital Clubhouse

CONSOLIDATING A GLOBAL, EVIDENCE-BASED MENTAL HEALTH MODEL IN WASHINGTON, D.C. - THE PROJECT IS INTENDED TO CONSOLIDATE THE PRESENCE OF A PROVEN, GLOBAL, MENTAL HEALTH APPROACH – THE “CLUBHOUSE MODEL” – IN WASHINGTON DC. THE PRIMARY OBJECTIVE IS TO SUSTAINABLY SERVE PEOPLE SUFFERING FROM MENTAL ILLNESS IN THE DISTRICT BY MAKING THIS APPROACH A PERMANENT FEATURE OF THE AREA’S MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. SUCH A PRESENCE WOULD ALSO SERVE TO SHOWCASE THE MODEL TO DECISION-MAKERS IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL, CONTRIBUTING TO THE DEBATE ON MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. CAPITAL CLUBHOUSE IS A COMMUNITY-BASED 501(C)(3) NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION WITH THE MISSION TO SERVE INDIVIDUALS WHOSE LIVES HAVE BEEN DISRUPTED BY SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS. MENTAL ILLNESS IS A GRAVE PROBLEM IN THE DC AREA, AFFECTING SOME 21% OF ADULT RESIDENTS - THE 7TH HIGHEST IN THE NATION. THOSE AFFECTED ARE PRIMARILY FROM LOW-INCOME, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES OF COLOR WHO ARE DISPROPORTIONATELY UNDIAGNOSED, UNDER-DIAGNOSED OR MISDIAGNOSED FOR CULTURAL AND HISTORIC REASONS. PEOPLE OF COLOR CONSTITUTE APPROXIMATELY 60% OF CLUBHOUSE MEMBERSHIP. CAPITAL CLUBHOUSE SERVES INDIVIDUALS WITH A VARIETY OF DIAGNOSES, WITH THE TWO LARGEST GROUPS BEING THOSE DIAGNOSED WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER (21%) AND WITH SCHIZOAFFECTIVE DISORDER (16%). THE “CLUBHOUSE” MODEL” PROVIDES A PROVEN APPROACH THAT HELPS INDIVIDUALS IN THEIR RECOVERY BY FULFILLING THEIR ASPIRATIONS IN WORK, EDUCATION, AND CONNECTION TO COMMUNITY. CLUBHOUSE CLIENTS, OR “MEMBERS,” SHARE RESPONSIBILITY, ALONG WITH A SMALL STAFF, FOR RUNNING THE ORGANIZATION AND DEVELOPING THESE OPPORTUNITIES. THE CLUBHOUSE MODEL WAS FIRST DEVELOPED IN NEW YORK CITY IN 1948; CLUBHOUSES NOW FLOURISH IN MORE THAN 300 LOCATIONS AROUND THE WORLD. CLUBHOUSES OPERATE UNDER PROVEN STANDARDS, ON WHICH THE DC DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RELIES TO PROVIDE ITS OWN CERTIFICATION. THE OBJECTIVE OF “EXPANDING USE OF COMMUNITY RECOVERY SUPPORT SYSTEMS SUCH AS CLUBHOUSES” HAS FEATURED IN SAMHSA’S STRATEGIC PLANS (E.G., THE FY 2019-2023 PLAN), AMONG OTHER RECOGNITIONS. DESPITE CLUBHOUSES’ GLOBAL PRESENCE, THE NATION’S CAPITAL DID NOT HAVE A CLUBHOUSE AMONG ITS MENTAL HEALTH FACILITIES UNTIL LATE 2019, WHEN CAPITAL CLUBHOUSE OFFICIALLY OPENED ITS DOORS. THE PROPOSED FUNDING WOULD HELP CAPITAL CLUBHOUSE RESUME SCALING-UP ITS OPERATIONS, DELAYED BY COVID-19 AND THE RELATED CLOSURE OF ITS PHYSICAL LOCATION IN DOWNTOWN DC FOR OVER A YEAR. THE FUNDING WOULD ALLOW CAPITAL CLUBHOUSE TO RUN A FULLY OPERATIONAL CLUBHOUSE, IN NEW PHYSICAL PREMISES BETTER SUITED FOR THE PLANNED EXPANDED MEMBERSHIP AND ACTIVITIES, WITH ADEQUATE HEALTH SAFEGUARDS. THE MULTI-YEAR AIM IS TO REACH THE SIZE OF THE CLOSEST ACCREDITED CLUBHOUSE, B’MORE CLUBHOUSE IN BALTIMORE, WITH SLIGHTLY OVER 200 MEMBERS. THE OBJECTIVE OVER THE FUNDING PERIOD IS TO DOUBLE THE ACTIVE MEMBERS TO 60. THE FUNDING WOULD SUPPORT IN PARTICULAR: - THE LAUNCHING OF AN EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, WITH STAFF WORKING TOWARD BUILDING UP TO 12 PLACEMENT PARTNERSHIPS WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF FUNDING FOR CLUBHOUSE MEMBERS TO RETURN TO WORK THROUGH TRANSITIONAL AND SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT POSITIONS. OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS, THE AIM IS TO ENSURE THAT AT LEAST 50% OF DAILY ATTENDEES ARE INVOLVED IN THE EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM; - ASSISTING MEMBERS IN COMPLETING EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES INTERRUPTED BY MENTAL ILLNESS; - MOVING TO A “HYBRID” MODEL, EMBRACING BOTH ON-SITE AND VIRTUAL ACTIVITIES; - INCREASING STAFFING TO PROVIDE INCREASED SERVICES TO A LARGER MEMBERSHIP AS WELL AS TO IMPLEMENT TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT.