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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

< Back New Bipartisan Research: Mental Health Emerging as Top-Priority Issue for Voters Fountain House May 3, 2023 The findings reinforce the immense potential of this moment and marks the launch of the new Healings Minds, Powering Communities campaign to reframe serious mental illness and support community-based solutions. New York, NY — New bipartisan messaging research released by Fountain House as part of its Healing Minds, Powering Communities campaign shows that an overwhelming majority of voters across partisan lines support increasing funding for programs that address serious mental illness (SMI). The national survey, focus groups, and stakeholder interviews — conducted by Lake Research Partners, Black Raspberry Consumer Insights, and Chesapeake Beach Consulting — sought to gauge what Americans think about mental health care and its electoral impact. Findings show that voters across partisan lines are not only concerned about the stigma associated with mental illness and the persistent lack of affordable and accessible treatment, but that mental health is emerging as a top-priority issue that influences their vote. Among our key findings: Voters are looking to elected officials to address serious mental illness — and will reward them when they do. If an elected official increases funding for programs and interventions directed towards mental illness, 76% of voters say they’d be more likely to support them, including 46% who said they’d be much more likely to support them. This holds true across partisan lines, even if it would increase voters’ taxes . While rising costs and inflation remain a dominant concern for a majority of voters, more than seven in 10 (72%) say they would be more likely to vote for an elected official who supports increased funding for serious mental illness interventions and programs. When thinking about healthcare today, 75% of voters say the U.S. spends too little on mental health services . Similarly, 73% say the U.S. spends too little on services for serious mental illness. Many support increased funding for community-based mental health programs (83% support, 59% strongly support) and show even stronger intense support for community-based programs that treat serious mental illness (85% support, 64% strongly support), including clubhouses . Almost half of all voters (47%) have a personal connection to someone with a mental illness — either themselves, a family member, or a close friend. Bolstered by these findings, the new Healing Minds, Powering Communities campaign aims to leverage this unique moment when elected officials and the general public alike are seeking compassionate, well-resourced public policy to address mental illness — and are primed and ready to fund evidence-based approaches for change. The multi-year, collaborative effort brings together a wide tent of stakeholders and partners, including people with lived experience, to advocate for community-based approaches to addressing serious mental illness; expand access to proven interventions and preventative measures; and grow and sustain a movement that reduces stigma and discrimination for people living with SMI. “What makes this campaign different is that it’s for and by people living with serious mental illness and represents, for the first time, a dedicated investment and commitment to restoring our dignity and autonomy,” said Arvind Sooknanan, a member of Fountain House Bronx who also serves on Fountain House’s Board of Directors . “Advancing a true community-based system of care is not only a means to recovery and thriving but can reset the narrative around mental illness from stigma to acceptance.” “We urgently need new paradigms of public investment to make recovery and thriving the center of our policies and practices involving people with serious mental health challenges,” said Ken Zimmerman, CEO of Fountain House . “ Healing Minds, Powering Communities emphasizes that we live in an age of solutions — when they are appropriately supported and resourced — and that prioritizing the voices of people with lived experience is central to combating problematic stereotypes.” Among the partners for the campaign: Clubhouse International and more than 65 local clubhouses spanning 24 states across the country, 1 Million Madly Motivated Moms (1M4), America’s Health Insurance Plans (AHIP), the American Public Health Association, Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers, Canopy Roots, Center for Justice Innovation, Families USA, ForLikeMinds, Mental Health America of West Central Indiana, the Mental Health Coalition, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (NYAPRS), the Steinberg Institute, the Technical Assistance Collaborative, Vera Institute of Justice, and VOCAL-NY. From May 24-31, 2023, Healing Minds, Powering Communities will host a Community Mental Health Week of Action where clubhouses will be trained and encouraged to open their doors to elected officials, local media, and other stakeholders so they can witness the power of community-based care and its impact on addressing serious mental illness. Other partners will also be promoting the benefits of this proven approach to their networks as a scalable, cost-effective, and more humane way to improve public safety, reduce mental health crises, while minimizing criminal justice involvement and its disparate impact on communities of color. “Clubhouse International is committed to continuing to lead in the effort of providing accessible recovery opportunities to anyone with lived experience of a mental illness by integrating the Clubhouse approach into health systems around the world,” said Joel D. Corcoran, Executive Director and CEO of Clubhouse International . “We are proud to partner in bringing the Healing Minds, Powering Communities advocacy campaign to the U.S.-based Clubhouses to effect policy change that prioritizes person-centered mental health care, and to increase funding for mental health services, such as the Clubhouse Model. This campaign will be instrumental in helping Clubhouses to advocate for their programs. The recent bipartisan research is an important validation for the Clubhouse network and supports what we see every day, that communities benefit from having a Clubhouse. Our vision is that one day there is a Clubhouse in every community.” “As a member-led collective supporting initiatives, programs, and solutions that decriminalize mental illness and reduce interactions between law enforcement and Black community members, we believe those closest to an issue are the individuals with the most insight into the solutions,” said Tansy McNulty, Founder and CEO of 1 Million Madly Motivated Moms (1M4) . “ Healing Minds, Powering Communities advances the evidence-based, person-centered approaches to mental health that we know can make a difference and is importantly led by those with mental illness themselves. We’re proud to stand with and support this effort.” “This new study underscores the high level of public support that exists for the expansion of community-based rehabilitation services and recovery supports that advance the dignity, agency, and connection to community of people with major mental health related challenges, especially for low income individuals and people of color,” said Harvey Rosenthal, CEO of the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (NYAPRS) . “NYAPRS will be a very active member of the campaign’s focus on public, policymaker, and media education: the need is urgent and requires their strong support to take immediate action.” For more information on Fountain House and how we’re 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. Previous Next

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< Back Goal is to open doors for those recovering from mental illness Sharon Salyer Dec 1, 2018 Hero House Everett will be a National Institute of Mental Health clubhouse for rehabilitation. View Article: Goal is to open doors for those recovering from mental illness With mental illness, much like physical illness, there’s often a gap in care after a patient is discharged from a hospital. People with serious mental illnesses can be hospitalized short-term for treatment. But they often need an interim step — “a bridge” as it’s sometimes called — to help them begin to rehabilitate and readjust to their everyday lives and the demands that come with jobs, schooling and parenting. That’s the gap two Everett parents, Harold and Meg McClure, are trying to fill. They saw the need through the experience of their son, Colin, a Jackson High School graduate who had been accepted to the Art Institute of Seattle . “We realized there was something not right going on with him,” Harold McClure said. His problems were diagnosed as schizophrenia. The chronic and severe mental disorder affects how a person thinks and feels, according to the National Institute of Mental Health . It can cause symptoms that lead people to seemingly lose touch with reality. “That was our awaking to mental illness,” Harold McClure said. That led the couple to begin schooling themselves on mental illness. They saw that their son, who was hospitalized twice, and many others needed some kind of interim help after being treated for mental illness. That’s when they learned about Hero House, a national program to help those recovering from mental illness build connections, job readiness, independence and confidence. In Washington, there are Hero House clubhouses in Spokane, Bellevue and Seattle. After the couple toured the Bellevue clubhouse, “we thought why don’t we try to open a clubhouse here in Everett?” Harold McClure said. They have spent the last two years working to build support for the project with help from the National Alliance on Mental Illness Snohomish County and other local mental health organizations, including Hero House NW . The McClures are both retired, he from running his own businesses, and she from her work as a speech therapist in the Everett School District. The Everett project has received a $100,000 state grant. But leasing a space for the clubhouse as well as staffing and operating is estimated to cost about $350,000 a year. The immediate need is to raise about $75,000 to find a place to open the clubhouse and hire a staff member. The McClures hope much of the additional money needed to open the clubhouse can be raised through private donations. Contributions can be made through the website of the nonprofit Hero House NW by designating that it’s for the Everett project. The goal is to hire a program director by Jan. 31. “Then we’re hoping that maybe by spring we can open a couple days a week,” Meg McClure said. “We’re very excited.” Adults would be referred to the program by a counselor or doctor. Clubhouse programs are for rehabilitation but not treatment. One of the goals is to help people rejoin the workforce, if they can. This might start with a 20-hour-a-week job, Meg McClure said. Prospective employers are told that if the employee isn’t able to come to work for any reason, a clubhouse staff member will complete the shift. “The employer is never left holding the bag,” Harold McClure said. Club members are helped with tasks such as job searches, interviewing techniques and signing up for classes. “It is so challenging to find places to connect for people who have mental illness,” said Lisa Utter, executive director of Snohomish County’s NAMI chapter. Those trying to cope with mental illness and depression often must also contend with loneliness. “The social isolation is huge,” Utter said. Compass Health once ran a clubhouse in Snohomish County, but had to abandon the program in the late 1990s when its government funding was cut. This despite Compass acting as a West Coast training center for other communities seeking to open similar programs. Nationally, the clubhouses that have been most successful are those where its members govern themselves and operate the program, said Tom Sebastian, Compass Health’s executive director. Establishing a clubhouse in Everett “will really fill a gap we’ve had since the time we had to close the clubhouse we had,” he said. The McClure’s son, Colin, 29, now living in Eastern Washington, is pursuing his interest in art through personal cartooning. Once the clubhouse opens, they hope he can move back to the area and participate in its programs. Harold McClure said in addition to helping his son and others, his own experience also has played a role in his commitment to the clubhouse project. An Irish immigrant, he came to America in 1981. “I want to make a contribution to the community,” he said. “This is a place that I feel there is a need. Nobody is going to do it, so why not us?” More info Email info@everettclubhouse.org for more information on Hero House Everett. Make a donation Contributions may be made at the website www.herohousenw.org . Click on the Seattle or Bellevue link, and then look for a donate button. Designate that the contribution to the Everett clubhouse under the special instructions section. Previous Next

Community Initiatives We Advocate for Mental Wellness 2021-2024 Strategic Plan Learn about our initiatives. Click the link below to launch our strategic plan. View Plan

< Back Thank you to our event partner Colburn Law! ​ Jul 15, 2022 Our 5K Event Partner With much appreciation, we express gratitude to our 5K event partners Coburn Law! Previous Next

< Back CEO Interview on King 5 News Amity Addrisi Dec 4, 2018 Watch King 5 News’ Amity Addrisi talk live with our CEO Kailey Fiedler-Gohlke on Mental Health Day. King 5 News’ Amity Addrisi talks live with CEO Kailey Fiedler-Gohlke on Mental Health Day Previous Next

< Back Clubhouse Giving Day 2022 ​ Jun 1, 2022 Join an international movement to raise funds and awareness for Clubhouse It’s time to show that your community is full of generosity! On June 1st, help us celebrate #ClubhouseGivingDay! Pledge your support now! Previous Next

Employment Programs Transitional Employment Our Clubhouses have worked with local companies to place members on transitional employment jobs at their place of business since 2005. Through the Transitional Employment Program, managed by members and staff together, members are placed in paid, entry-level positions provided by participating companies. These positions are transitional in two ways: first, they let members ease into the world of work with a direct connection to the job; second, members receive job training and job site visits from clubhouse based placement managers. Typically, each placement lasts between six and nine months. The member may then move on to other placements until they are ready for a less supported job. Supported Employment Our Clubhouses offer the Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Model of Supported Employment. IPS supported employment helps people living with behavioral health conditions work at regular jobs of their choosing. Although variations of supported employment exist, IPS refers to the evidence-based practice of supported employment. Mainstream education and technical training are included as ways to advance career paths. The type of supports offered to members include a full job search, assistance with application forms, resumes, cover letters, mock interviews, and – if needed – items for interviews such as clothing. Once comfortably on the job, employment personnel keep in touch with the member through phone reach out, monthly dinners, and other supports as needed. This type of employment also provides support to the company that may initially be unsure about hiring a member for a regular job. Learn More About IPS Independent Employment Members with prior work experience and/or job related education, skills, and abilities – as well as those who have completed a number of placements through other HERO House NW programs – are encouraged to seek their own jobs. The clubhouse’s employment support helps members prepare resumes plus coaches them in job search and interview techniques. Unlike with Transitional and Supported Employment programs, members go on competitive interviews to get jobs. While members are working, they can continue to call on our Clubhouses for support by phone and through a unit available to working members.

< Back 5K Early Bird Tickets now on sale! HERO House NW Communications Mar 1, 2022 Tickets for the 2022 HERO House 5K are now on sale! Tickets for the 3rd Annual Everyday HERO 1 in 5K event are now on sale! Register now to take advantage of early bird pricing before April 1st. And stay tuned for the 2022 Run like a HERO logo design! Register at: https://runsignup.com/Race/WA/Redmond/HEROHouse5K Previous Next

< Back Thank you to our 5K Silver Sponsors Electronic Business Machines! ​ Aug 15, 2022 ​ Locally Owned & Operated, Electronic Business Machines has been the leader in customer service and office equipment since 1980. Electronic Business Machines specializes in helping customers in the Greater Puget Sound Region find solutions to their document workflow. Whether your company is printing, copying, scanning, faxing or in need of a document workflow solution, Electronic Business Machines can help! Call: 866-707-9111 Email: Info@ebmco.com Previous Next

< Back 5K Event Partner Twyford Law Firm! ​ Jun 10, 2022 Thank you for your support! Thank you to Twyford Law Office for generously partnering with us for our HERO House 5K! Register now at: https://runsignup.com/Race/WA/Redmond/HEROHouse5K Previous Next