Clubhouse International Celebrates 20 Years of Success in Changing the World of Mental Health

New York, NY, June 04, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Clubhouse International (www.clubhouse-intl.org), a global non-profit, non-governmental organization that helps communities around the world create sustainable solutions for mental illness, celebrates the 20th Anniversary of its founding today.

Joel Corcoran, Executive Director of Clubhouse International, marked the occasion by acknowledging the dedication of the organization’s staff and many volunteers, and saluting the far greater accomplishments of the organization’s member Clubhouses:

“In just 20 years, Clubhouse International has succeeded in creating something that didn’t exist before: a worldwide community that is changing the world of mental health. Through ongoing efforts to develop and nurture new and existing local Clubhouses around the world, our community offers people living with mental illness opportunities for friendship, employment, housing, education, and access to medical and psychiatric services in a single caring and safe environment – so they can become productive and respected members of society.”

Today, Clubhouse International celebrates 20 years of success in:

Saving lives - by providing a bridge to recovery at over 330 Clubhouses in 33 countries for 100,000 members annually. According to available research, Clubhouses achieve the following tangible results for members and their communities:

• Better transitional employment results: longer on-the-job tenure is found to be highly correlated with Clubhouse attendance.1
• Cost effectiveness: at just $40 per member per day, the cost of Clubhouses is estimated to be one-third of the cost of the IPS model; about one-half the annual costs of Community Mental Health Centers; and substantially less than the ACT model.2
• Reduced hospital stays: membership in a Clubhouse has resulted in a significant decrease in the number of hospitalizations. 3
• Reduced incarcerations: criminal justice system involvement is substantially diminished during and after Clubhouse psychosocial program membership. 4
• Improved well-being: Compared with individuals receiving services as usual, Clubhouse members have been shown to be significantly more likely to report that they had close friendships and someone they could rely on when they needed help.5

Caring for how people with mental illness are treated - ensuring successful outcomes for members through Clubhouse Standards and Accreditation. Over the last 20 years:

• They have accredited 175 Clubhouses in 21 countries. Clubhouse International Accreditation is a unique, proprietary program that helps Clubhouses achieve adherence to the International Standards for Clubhouse Programs, the set of quality assurance principles and cultural values that continue to ensure the success of the Clubhouse model around the world.
• The Clubhouse Training Programs and International Seminars have reached more than 7,500 mental health professionals, people with mental illness and volunteers worldwide. Clubhouse International helps Clubhouses achieve sustainability through ongoing training and mentoring programs that support both new Clubhouse development and Clubhouse Accreditation. Training is delivered through 10 Clubhouse International Training Bases located in the U.S., Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Achieving increased recognition and acceptance of the Clubhouse model

• The Clubhouse model is included in the US National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices—a major milestone for our organization.
• The world-renowned Department of Mental Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health included the Clubhouse model and Clubhouse International’s work in a recently-published reference book documenting the public health approach to mental and behavioral disorders.

Leveraging resources - over $200 million a year in public and private funding provided to Clubhouses in support of people with mental illness.

Ending the stigma surrounding mental illness - through their coordinated advocacy efforts with local and regional Clubhouses and Clubhouse Coalitions, and engagement in social, government and mental health forums across the globe.

Most recently, Clubhouse International hosted a Dialog over Dinner in Washington, D.C. The 50-person audience included a number of distinguished legislative and professional mental health advocates. Featured on the program was Nobel Laureate Eric Kandel, who connected his firm belief in the potential for ongoing brain development with the therapeutic work of the Clubhouse; Tanya Phillips of B’More Clubhouse (Baltimore MD), who delivered a compelling account of her life with mental illness and the benefits of belonging to an Accredited Clubhouse; and Board Member Jeffrey Geller, M.D. and other noted speakers who spoke eloquently of the urgency for change in our mental health systems, making a connection to the benefits of including Clubhouse in that change.

Corcoran concluded his remarks by saying, “We see a bright future ahead for Clubhouse International and the Clubhouse model: a world where people living with mental illness everywhere can experience the respect, hope and opportunities found at Clubhouses. We look forward to a better world for mental health.”

Media Inquiries: Joel Corcoran, jdcorcoran@clubhouse-intl.org, 1.212.582.0343

Click Here to Make an Online Donation to Clubhouse International

Sources:
1 Macias, Kinney and Rodican (1995).
2 McKay, Yates and Johnsen (2005); IPS model reported by Clark et al (1998); ACT model reported by Macias et al (2001).
3 De Masso, Avi-Itzak and Obler (2001).
4 Johnson and Hickey (1999).
5 Warner, Huxley and Berg (1999).
6 Leff and colleagues (2004).