Elkhart County Clubhouse

Elkhart County Clubhouse is a community where people who have a persistent mental illness can come to rebuild their lives. We offer support for education, or for returning to the workforce through a variety of entry-level positions. We are fully accredited by Clubhouse International.

Key aspects of Clubhouse include:

The work ordered day provides opportunities for meaningful work within the Clubhouse setting.

Employment programs assist members in finding opportunities for paid employment.

Social and recreational programs help members connect and find friendship.

Educational assistance enables members to achieve educational goals that were disrupted by illness.

Community support assists members in acquiring affordable housing, disability benefits, and other services.

Reach out calls and visits help clubhouse members stay in touch and show mutual care and support.

Decision making and governance involves members and staff working together to develop clubhouse plans and policies.

Benefits for the community

Clubhouse provides tangible benefits to the wider community. The recovery-based model of care enables people with a mental illness to avoid expensive hospital visits and to remain off the streets and out of jail. Giving members opportunities to achieve their social, financial, and vocational goals results in documentable benefits for their community.

Higher employment: The clubhouse model yields higher rates of employment, longer job tenure, and higher earnings than traditional programs do.

Reduced hospitalization: Studies show that clubhouse members have fewer hospital stays, and the stays they do have tend to be shorter.

Reduced incarceration: Involvement with the criminal justice system is substantially diminished during and after clubhouse membership.

Improved well-being: Members report they have close friendships and people they can rely on when needs arise.

Cost effectiveness: Clubhouse lowers costs by 50-66% when compared to other common models that deliver services to people with a mental illness.

Come visit us!

We welcome visits and would be glad to give you a tour. Feel free to stay for lunch in our dining hall. You can't really know clubhouse without spending some time here.

How do I join?

Membership is open to anyone 18 or older with a history of mental illness. Any person diagnosed with a mental illness can become a member for life, no dues. Members do not need to be U.S. citizens.

For more information on the Clubhouse movement, visit Clubhouse International's website:
http://www.iccd.org/