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It is the activity that speaks to the fundamental belief that people with serious mental illness can be productive members of society. Fountain House members work at over 120 unique businesses and have achieved an employment rate that is almost consistently double that of comparable employment programs for persons with serious mental illness in New York City. Fountain Houses current Employment Resource Center reaches more than 400 clubhouse members each year, offering a range of opportunities that meet the individuals where they are in their capacities and recovery. We don’t focus only on our diagnosis but because we work closely together, social practitioners tend to know when something is off and can help us. They also help with things like applying for government benefits. For example, Fountain House helped me find housing.
People
It takes a lot of patience, a lot of guidance, a lot of maturity and also you got to be willing to sacrifice everything you put on the table. I’m just trying to be supportive and talk to people every day. I go in (to the recharge station) for about several hours and stay there and most everyone is cool, nice. They all mind their own business, and they all do what they gotta do and then leave.
Making mental health care more accessible
“With these new investments, we’ll be able to better serve those who need it most.” "New York City prioritizes care for people with the most serious needs", said Susan Herman, Director of the Mayor's Office of ThriveNYC. I became involved with Fountain House in 2020, ten years after I was diagnosed with a serious mental illness during my first year of college. By then, I had been in and out of treatment several times, and I have been in multiple programs ever since, including two partial hospitalization programs, an intensive outpatient treatment program and a continuing day treatment program. I didn’t find these interventions very beneficial because they tend to focus on what is wrong with the individuals in their care.
The Carousel For All Children Grand Opening 2024 Willowbrook Park
For example, in a clubhouse, there are no “patients;” we are all members. It’s an important distinction because members choose to be there and are involved in every aspect of our organization—from janitorial work to shaping our advocacy efforts and decision-making. We believe in the principle “nothing about us without us.” Members also choose how often to come to the clubhouse—memberships do not expire—and which social practitioner they want to work with.
At least half of NYC's mental health clubhouses lose funding as city bets on bigger ones - Gothamist
At least half of NYC's mental health clubhouses lose funding as city bets on bigger ones.
Posted: Tue, 16 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Fountain House currently operates out of two locations in New York City. The main building is located in Hell’s Kitchen on West 47th St. and 9th Ave. Fountain House Bronx, which opened in 2013, is located in Concourse Village on East 149th St. and Walton Ave. The clubhouse even operates a kiosk called the Recharge Station in Times Square on West 45th St. and Broadway.
In 2018, Fountain House opened the Silver Center to keep older members supported and connected as they age, and to address ongoing concerns of isolation, physical illness and decline, inadequate housing, and poverty. Fountain House’s award-winning programs provide opportunities for its members to belong to a vibrant community focused on work, wellness and social connections. Its engaged staff and members, working side-by-side, create housing, employment, education and health and wellness initiatives that renew people’s lives and reconnect them with mainstream society.
We always talk about the need to be needed, and I think clubhouses do a very good job in providing that. When you feel needed, you feel like you have a purpose in life, and that helps with rehabilitation. When you have confidence in yourself and your community has confidence in you as well, it really helps move you forward in whatever direction you want. If you have a mental illness, it’s a stigma that the only way to help you focus is to keep you in a group setting where you’re learning the same material every couple of weeks.
A global community of mental health innovators
Fountain House has pioneered one of the most successful community-based mental health recovery models in the world to address the issue of social isolation, eliminate barriers to care, and overcome social stigma through an evidence-based approach. Social isolation is a critical issue for this population, as many people with SMI have lost jobs and become alienated from family and friends. Fountain House’s comprehensive suite of social interventions and supports include housing, employment, education, and wellness programs that empower members to reclaim their lives, realize their abilities, and cope with the normal stresses of life. This unique model continues to inspire and give hope to thousands of people with serious mental illness in New York City and around the world. Founded in 1948, Fountain House empowers people with serious mental illness in New York City to live and thrive in society. Every day, individuals with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression come to Fountain House to contribute their talents, learn new skills, access opportunities, and build friendships.
I’ve worked with people from Sweden, Norway, Canada. We train them on conference calls to help people with mental illnesses. They’re one of the ways that people can better their condition, be able to have a place to go, maybe go through the process of starting to have a place to live — even if it’s a modest studio, and even a part-time job. It’s a comfortable place to go to where you can make friends easily. I usually don’t make friends that easily, but I’ve been able to make friends here. I travel on three different modes of transportation to get here, so I see a lot.
At Fountain House Studio, artists living with mental illness work side by side with others in a collaborative setting that reduces isolation and fosters a supportive community. Over twenty years ago, the Sidney R. Baer, Jr. Center pioneered a “health home” that integrates medical and psychiatric healthcare.
Once a year we do a walk or run — that’s a big event. We also do a few things hybrid on the computer. When I joined Fountain House, a lot of doors opened up for me.
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