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Corporate Social Responsibilty Our Partners Become a partner Demonstrate your commitment to the health of our community. Let’s make a difference together! Our commitment to mental wellness and corporate social responsibility can transform the lives of individuals experiencing mental illness while building a healthier, more compassionate community for all. ​ We can help you create a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) campaign that positively impacts individuals and the community. By investing in programs like those offered by HERO House NW, we're contributing to the overall well-being of our community. Access to mental health support not only improves the lives of individuals and their families but also strengthens our community fabric and promotes social inclusion. Supporting mental wellness isn't just the right thing to do – it's also good for business. Fostering a culture of empathy and understanding helps create a more supportive and inclusive workplace where employees feel valued and empowered. Did you know that promoting mental health awareness can lead to increased productivity, reduced absenteeism, and a stronger sense of employee loyalty and satisfaction? ​ The impact of your investment is more than the lives impacted and community benefit. Longstanding benefits are quantifiable, including metrics like brand reputation, net promoter scores, customer loyalty, social media engagement, and community engagement which all contribute to market share and revenue growth. Contact us below to discuss how we can help with your next Corporate Social Responsibility Campaign! Let’s Work Together For more information please email or complete this online form. E-Mail: info@herohousenw.org First Name Last Name Company Position Email Message Thank you for your interest! Send

Board of Directors Scott Rerucha President Scott brings three-decades of indispensable industry experience to HERO House, having had successful tenures with Sky Bank, Bay Mortgage, Cowlitz Bank, and First Independent Bank. He co-founded Legacy Group Holdings, Inc., which was voted the second best company to work for by the Puget Sound Business Journal. Scott is currently CEO at Legacy Group Capital. He holds a BA in Finance and Economics from Seattle University. While there, Scott was a scholarship athlete on Seattle University’s tennis team. In addition, he enjoys playing and coaching basketball from kindergarten to AAU teams. Scott is a proud member and sponsor of Big Brothers of America. Savinay Dangi Vice President Savinay is a tenured executive from the telecommunication industry with over 22 years of experience in Operations, Sales, Finance, Marketing and Corporate Strategy. He has built analytic teams at T-Mobile responsible for improving sales productivity and successfully led reporting teams and operations as well as business process improvement. Savinay has been associated with HERO House for over a year. Outside work, he has a 17-year old daughter, Sameeksha, and wife, Pratima. The Dangi family loves to travel and photography is Savinay’s dearest hobby. Savinay is proud to be a part of HERO House and supporting the cause in all possible ways. Lesa Hastings Secretary Lesa works in marketing arena. Working in digital marketing, she has worn many hats: Director of Digital Marketing, Director of Strategic Projects, speaker at national conferences, and overseeing operations/fulfillment. She is an advocate for mental health awareness, speaking to the necessity of de-stigmatizing mental health, and creating accessible resources for all. In addition to volunteering for HHNW, she has dedicated many years to working with Domestic Violence Safehouses in multiple states, supporting the women and children in residence. Sudir Ralhan Director Sudhir is a retired biomedical engineer from Philips Medical Systems and is involved in Energy, Healing, Alternative Health, Consciousness, and spirituality. Eighteen years ago, he discovered meditation and has studied at Brahma Kumaris to learn Rajyoga. He currently leads spirituality, yoga, and meditation classes at HERO House as part of our Wellness initiative. Sudhir is a wonderful advocate for the mentally ill and continues to spread the word about HERO House throughout the community. Meg McClure Director Meg McClure and her husband were instrumental in working with HHNW to bring a Clubhouse to Everett in Snohomish County. She is currently on the Advisory Board for the Everett Clubhouse. They have a daughter who is a teacher and a son who is living with mental illness. Meg spent 33 years working in the Everett School District as a Speech Language Pathologist. As a long time Snohomish County resident, Meg is committed to building partnerships to support HHNW and the Everett Clubhouse in their work for mental health rehabilitation. Veronika, also known as Vee, is a marketing jack of all trades. She currently works alongside HERO House Board President, Scott Rerucha, as Legacy Group Capital’s Director of Marketing. As a graduate of Seattle University with a dual BA in Marketing and Business Management, she strongly believes in their mission of empowering leaders for a just and humane world. She attempts to live this mission out on a daily basis by advocating for mental health awareness and by volunteering with the American Marketing Association – Puget Sound, helping the collegiate chapter members grow and jumpstart their marketing careers. Veronika “Vee” Zwicke Director Lisa Coleman Director Deepa Bajwa Director Influenced and inspired by lived experiences, Deepa is a fierce mental health advocate dedicated to empowering marginalized communities. Working at a crisis center reaffirmed her belief that crises do not occur in a vacuum and are symptoms of the disparities that exist in our society. This reality has pushed her to pursue equality and justice throughout her academic and professional career from sustainability and now in mental health. With a keen interest in bridging not only systemic gaps but also fostering connections between individuals, she hopes to strengthen the collective fabric. She has a deep understanding that we are parts of a whole that function better together rather than in isolation. Learn How to Join Our Board

Careers Working Towards a Better Tomorrow We are always looking to connect with passionate individuals dedicated to mental health recovery! ​ To view our current openings, please click HERE If you feel so inclined; please email your resume to: michaelb@herohousenw.org ​

< Back Opinion: Behavioral health professionals are key to addressing crisis Kailey Fiedler-Gohlke and Kim Rettig – Contributing writers Apr 10, 2021 ​ View Article: Opinion: Behavioral health professionals are key to addressing crisis In the wake of too many tragedies nationwide, Seattle and many other cities are re-examining how they respond to mental health emergencies. It’s clear that we must respond to these crises with trained caregivers and not law enforcement officers who have a different charge. As a person living with serious mental illness and as the director of a mental health clubhouse working with people to successfully chart their lives after such a diagnosis, we know all too well what it can mean to have a mental health emergency. Imagine what it is like to feel highly anxious, to be paranoid about situations that feel normal to others, even to hear voices, only to confront someone in a police uniform. We have observed the often deadly outcomes of police encounters with individuals in mental health crises. At least one of every four people killed in an interaction with law enforcement has a serious mental health diagnosis, according to a 2015 report from the Treatment Advocacy Center. Black and Indigenous people and other communities of color continue to be disproportionately impacted by these instances, further exacerbating the racial inequities in our system. When in crisis, people experiencing intense amounts of anxiety and stress act out of fear or misinterpret situations, inadvertently jeopardizing the safety of themselves, or those nearby. These situations can escalate into violence, and too often are the front door to misguided incarceration. For the best outcome, mental health crises should be treated for what they are: health emergencies, not crimes. The status quo is not a paradigm that works for anyone. Police recognize that they are being asked to do jobs they were never intended to do: responding to people who have mental health needs or who are homeless. Many in the law enforcement community acknowledge that their training is not always best suited to addressing many of these situations. The solution is to develop health-focused models and personnel for responding to these situations — what we call care responders. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and the Seattle City Council took a step in the right direction on this issue at the end of 2020 by expanding Seattle’s Health One program, which uses teams of two firefighters and one case manager to provide specialized outreach, transport and referrals to callers experiencing behavioral health crises, as well as non-emergency medical complaints and those with social service needs. Gov. Jay Inslee and both chambers of the Legislature further demonstrated the state’s commitment to mental health care by proposing investments in mobile crisis response enhancements for the upcoming fiscal year that align with our care response principles. Legislative leaders are working with stakeholders to implement a coordinated “988” crisis hotline center and crisis services system that will save lives by improving access to behavioral health crisis services. Seattle leaders should be applauded for expanding this promising, vital program. And Inslee and the Legislature deserve praise for prioritizing the care response model with critical funding in the budget. But with the stakes this high, we can’t can’t stop there. Health One is a promising approach that can, and should, be built upon in collaboration with city and county leaders across the state. The state Legislature has an opportunity to support and expand care responders programs in communities across our state. Innovation and adequate resources at all levels of government are crucial to expanding this work successfully. Also necessary is working closely with peers — those with lived experience. We must listen to those who are most affected by our flawed emergency response system, hear their stories and engage them in finding solutions. Ideally, we can go beyond this, as some communities have done, by successfully engaging trained peers as part of care-response teams. Working together, decision-makers, stakeholders and those most affected can build new, better response models that lead with care and focus on the best outcomes for all. https://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2021/04/09/opinion-behavioral-mental-health-crises-police.html?b=1618006923%5E21874254 Previous Next

Fountain House United We are partnering with Fountain House, and helping to build a national network, beginning initially in nine states, and working together to advance direct service supports, test and scale innovations, and drive joint policy and advocacy for people living with serious mental illness everywhere. Learn More The Full Story This is your About page. This space is a great opportunity to give a full background on who you are, what you do and what your site has to offer. Your users are genuinely interested in learning more about you, so don’t be afraid to share personal anecdotes to create a more friendly quality. Every website has a story, and your visitors want to hear yours. This space is a great opportunity to provide any personal details you want to share with your followers. Include interesting anecdotes and facts to keep readers engaged. Double click on the text box to start editing your content and make sure to add all the relevant details you want site visitors to know. If you’re a business, talk about how you started and share your professional journey. Explain your core values, your commitment to customers and how you stand out from the crowd. Add a photo, gallery or video for even more engagement.

Clubhouse Giving Day Have an Impact June 5th 2024 is the fourth annual Clubhouse Giving Day! Join us in partnership with Clubhouse International as we raise awareness and fundraise with our clubhouse colleagues! Learn More

< Back 2022 HERO House NW 5K Event Sponsorship Opportunities HERO House NW Communications Mar 8, 2022 Event Sponsorship Opportunities Now Available For more information please see our 5K Sponsorship packet or complete the online sponsorship form . If you'd like to register for the 5K event, please go to our registration page . Previous Next

< Back 2022 HERO House NW 5K Major Sponsorship Opportunities HERO House NW Communications Mar 8, 2022 Major Sponsorships now available For more information please see our 5K Sponsorship packet or complete the online sponsorship form . If you'd like to register for the 5K event, please go to our registration page . Previous Next

< Back ‘Stop criminalizing mental health crises,’ says Hero House NW CEO DAVE ROSS BY KIRO NEWSRADIO STAFF Dec 27, 2021 ​ VIEW ARTICLE: ‘Stop criminalizing mental health crises,’ says Hero House NW CEO Jails have become de facto mental health institutions, but the question is, what do we do about it? Is there a way to handle somebody having a mental breakdown without calling the police, and is there a way to get that person healthy? A KIRO Radio listener who has an adult son living with mental illness says they’ve learned that the police are not a good way to handle cases like this, and recommended that Dave Ross speak with Kailey Fiedler-Gohlke, chief executive officer of an institution called Hero House NW . “Hero House NW is comprised of three clubhouses,” Fiedler-Gohlke explained. “We follow a psychiatric model of rehabilitation. So we’re really kind of that next step after clinical treatment, when people get to see their psychiatrists and their doctors. We really kind of add that community, that social community that’s often lacking with people diagnosed and living with mental illness.” “As we know, isolation is a huge key factor, it’s a big symptom of mental illness,” she added. “So we’ve created some really well-rounded communities for people to attend on a day to day basis to really get connected with others and to not be alone in the community.” The clubhouses are not places where people live. Members participate “at their own whim,” and get to decide how they use the clubhouse, Fiedler-Gholke said. “Often, in a clinical treatment, you have the patient versus the doctor, the provider. And oftentimes people don’t have ownership of their own recovery, and the clubhouse offers that,” she described. “Members pick and choose how they utilize the clubhouse, with which staff they work.” The clubhouse model does not differentiate based on people’s level of functioning or diagnosis, Fiedler-Gholke noted. The only requirement to enter and become a member is that you have a history of a diagnosed mental illness. “That being said, we do have what we like to call our one rule within our community is to not disrupt or impact the recovery of another, meaning we don’t want to have people in the community that are having violent behaviors or that they’re unsafe to themselves or others,” she said. Fiedler-Gholke says there have been hundreds of research articles written about Hero House NW and the clubhouse model. Outcomes have shown a reduced hospitalization rate of members versus non-members, reduced incarceration rates, and higher job placement rates. “We even have higher rates of people returning to school and graduating,” she said. Alternative to a police response Over the past year and a half, Hero House NW has been focusing more attention on alternative ways to handle a mental health crisis, instead of calling 911. “We’ve noticed that a lot of our members have had really traumatic interactions with police, and it resulted in incarceration or being basically tossed in a county jail,” Fiedler-Gholke told Seattle’s Morning News. “And it was all because they were having a mental health crisis. So I think when we approach something like this, we need — of course, it’s a very big question, and it’s not a simple answer to solve this — I think we need to have a care response model.” She explains that while police are needed in the community, there also needs to be a care response model that is comprised of peers and people trained to handle these crises. “We know next summer there’s going to be a new phone number coming out called 988 ,” she added. “It’s going to be a mental health crisis number. Instead of calling 911, people can call 988.” Over the past year and a half, Hero House NW has been focusing more attention on alternative ways to handle a mental health crisis, instead of calling 911. “We’ve noticed that a lot of our members have had really traumatic interactions with police, and it resulted in incarceration or being basically tossed in a county jail,” Fiedler-Gholke told Seattle’s Morning News. “And it was all because they were having a mental health crisis. So I think when we approach something like this, we need — of course, it’s a very big question, and it’s not a simple answer to solve this — I think we need to have a care response model.” She explains that while police are needed in the community, there also needs to be a care response model that is comprised of peers and people trained to handle these crises. “We know next summer there’s going to be a new phone number coming out called 988 ,” she added. “It’s going to be a mental health crisis number. Instead of calling 911, people can call 988.” But there has also been discussion around how to respond to mental health crises in the first place. “They’re trying out many different pilots , but one proven method that’s actually been going on for 40 years is called the CAHOOTS model down in Eugene, Oregon,” Fiedler-Gholke said. “A lot of us are trying to get that model up here in Washington because the biggest thing is we don’t want people to have to go to jail. We should stop criminalizing mental health crises.” The idea of a program like CAHOOTS is that if someone is acting out or having a tough time, as Fiedler-Gholke explains, a team that’s familiar with how to de-escalate similar situations should be the ones to respond. Hero House NW has three clubhouses in Bellevue, Seattle, and Everett, and has plans to expand to nine more clubhouses across Washington state. “They won’t be under us, but they will be part of the clubhouse community,” Fiedler-Gholke said. “I think we need a clubhouse in every single community and we need those to be there for people. Because when you don’t have the appropriate services and you have the bare minimum, then that’s where that cycle starts because they can’t access the proper treatment and they don’t have anything pre- and post-hospitalization, if it gets to that point.” Previous Next

PRIVACY POLICY Printer-friendly version HERO House NW (HHNW) places a high priority on protecting your privacy. This privacy policy was created in order to demonstrate HHNW's firm commitment to the privacy of our members and website users. This policy explains what types of information is collected by the HHNW's website, www.herohousenw.org , and how this information is used. What Personally Identifiable Information is Collected HHNW's members that register for www.herohousenw.org and individuals that sign up to receive HHNW e-communications voluntarily provide us with contact information (such as name and e-mail address). We may use this information for specific, limited purposes. You may always "opt out," either now or at any time in the future, if you do not wish to receive our messages. IP addresses HHNW uses your IP address to help diagnose problems with our server, to administer www.herohousenw.org , and for statistical metrics used to track website visitor traffic. Cookies www.herohousenw.org uses "cookie" messages to automatically help provide better services. They remind us who you are and your preferences for our website based on what you've done and told us before. The "cookie" is placed in your computer and is read when you come back to our website. Cookies let us take you to the information and features you're particularly interested in. They also let us track your usage of www.herohousenw.org , so we know which parts of our sites are most popular. You can reject cookies or cancel them by instructing your Web browser accordingly. How Your Information May Be Used We use your personal information to provide you with personalized service; to send e-mail alerts to you; to answer your requests; to process forms or applications; etc. You may choose to opt out at any time, which will cease all communications from us. We may also use your information to track visitors to our website. This lets us see which of our features are the most popular so we can better serve our users' needs. It also lets us provide aggregate data about our traffic (not identifying you personally, but showing how many visitors used which features, for example) to outside parties Email Privacy HHNW does not provide, sell, or rent email addresses to anyone outside the organization. External Links www.herohousenw.org includes links to external websites. These links do not fall under the www.herohousenw.org domain, and the HHNW is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of external websites. Your use of any linked website is solely at your own risk. Modifications We may amend this privacy policy from time to time; please review it periodically. We maintain the option to modify this privacy at any time by electronic notice posted on our website. Your continued use of our website after the date that such notices are posted will be deemed to be your agreement to the changed terms.

< Back Fountain House Applauds Congressman Ritchie Torres for Introducing the CCBHC Expansion Act Fountain House Feb 8, 2024 ​ Washington, D.C. — On Wednesday, Representative Ritchie Torres (NY-15) introduced the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Expansion Act of 2024. The federal legislation, co-sponsored by Representative Shri Thanedar (MI-13), aims to improve community mental health services by promoting a more holistic, patient-centered approach to treatment and care. Building off earlier bill language from last Congress, the legislation directs CCBHCs to enhance their scope of services to support people in their mental illness recovery, whether independently or in partnership with local clubhouses. This includes psychosocial rehabilitation services that advance people’s employment and educational opportunities, housing, and other holistic needs, which play a significant role in fostering recovery and wellbeing. This is the first time clubhouse has been defined in federal bill language, importantly with the feedback and technical support of several clubhouse members living with serious mental illness, including those from Fountain House. The comprehensive definition recognizes how clubhouses, and the therapeutic social environments they provide, are uniquely positioned to address the negative symptoms of serious mental illness, like loneliness and social isolation , which medication and therapy can’t tackle alone. As Fountain House’s newly released research shows , clubhouses are also incredibly effective at reducing the secondary costs of untreated mental illness, including lost wages, disability benefits, repeat emergency room visits, and criminal justice impacts, which saves the U.S. nearly $700 million a year. If clubhouses were expanded to reach even just 5% of the 15.4 million adults in the U.S. impacted by serious mental illness, the net societal benefit would exceed $8.5 billion annually. “Despite the significant growth in mental health awareness in recent years, access to essential services and person-centered care models remains rooted in outdated practices,” said U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres (NY-15) . "Many communities — especially in the Bronx — still lack adequate and equitable access to a diverse range of mental health services. By enhancing service accessibility and broadening care options, we can enhance outcomes for individuals grappling with severe mental illness and bolster the well-being of entire communities. This legislation aims to widen access to these critical services, ensuring that individuals in need of essential mental health support are not left behind. I commend the relentless efforts of Fountain House Bronx in championing holistic mental health care that truly saves lives within our community.” “We applaud Congressmen Torres for introducing the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion Act of 2024 in partnership with people most impacted by serious mental illness, including Fountain House’s members and with Clubhouse International,” said Ken Zimmerman, CEO of Fountain House . “By recognizing and incorporating psychosocial services as integral tools for recovery, this legislation addresses critical gaps in our mental health infrastructure that have, for too long, relied solely on clinical care. As local clubhouses are leveraged for their expertise, we hope it will ultimately create a more comprehensive and coherent mental health ecosystem that can meet people where they’re at and more meaningfully address the social drivers of health.” “Expanding access to clubhouses and the social supports they provide is absolutely essential and we thank Rep. Torres and Rep. Thanedar for championing the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion Act to bring these vital resources to more people across the country,” said Shawn Guffey, member of Fountain House . “People’s lives are at stake: their ability to function, to be independent, to lead full and happy lives. We need more support from leaders at every level of government to ensure mental health is a priority that is funded and scaled.” “We are encouraged by the expansion of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic services and applaud Congressman Torres for his leadership on this important issue,” said Joel D. Corcoran, Executive Director and CEO of Clubhouse International . “Psychosocial rehabilitation programs like Clubhouses are a medical necessity for recovery and should be a part of every comprehensive mental health service system. We have decades of evidence demonstrating that programs offering dignity, self-determination, social inclusion, and meaningful rehabilitation opportunities truly help people living with mental illness reclaim their futures and thrive in the community.” Several clubhouses in Fountain House’s national network, Fountain House United , who also offered technical assistance on the bill, shared their wide support for the CCBHC Expansion Act and how it would improve and integrate care. “The community of Magnolia Clubhouse in Cleveland, Ohio, is proud to support this work and we are in great appreciation to Rep. Torres for championing psychiatric rehabilitation and the Clubhouse model as an exceptional example of what people living with mental illness need and deserve,” said Lori D’Angelo, Executive Director of Magnolia Clubhouse . “Clubhouses fill a void in the crisis-oriented system of care and offer a holistic and comprehensive approach that provides community, opportunity, and hope.” “The CCBHC Expansion Act is a tremendous step forward for our nation’s behavioral health care,” said Kailey Fiedler-Gohlke, CEO of HERO House NW . “Highlighting the importance of the Clubhouse model as a key aspect of the continuum of care for those living with mental illness is a critical component of recovery. Isolation is the most devastating symptom of mental illness and expanding the access to models, such as the Clubhouse, can reduce and eliminate the loneliness people experience. HERO House NW’s community is proud to support this bill.” For more information on Fountain House and how it’s supporting people living with serious mental illness through direct services, practice innovation, advocacy, and policy change, visit FountainHouse.org . Fountain House Fountain House is a national mental health nonprofit fighting to improve health, increase opportunity, and end social and economic isolation for people living with serious mental illness. Founded in 1948 in New York City, Fountain House originated the clubhouse model of community mental health that has been replicated more than 300 times in nearly 40 U.S. states and in 30 countries around the world. Original post: https://fountainhouse.org/news/fountain-house-applauds-congressman-ritchie-torres-for-introducing-the-ccbhc-expansion-act Press Contact Minhee Cho mcho@fountainhouse.org 347-498-4236 Previous Next

What is a Clubhouse? Clubhouses offer people living with mental illness hope and opportunities to reach their full potential. The clubhouse is an intentional working environment where all members are engaged into the meaningful work that both builds the clubhouse community and builds the self-esteem and empowerment of members. Clubhouse International Standards Each of our accredited Clubhouses operate on proven Standards which have been developed by Clubhouse International over two decades and which are effective in over 320 Clubhouses worldwide. Learn More