Clubhouses, also called Psychosocial Rehabilitation Programs, are non-residential day programs that empower “members” (not consumers) with an ownership stake in their “club.”  A clubhouse is a place where people who have mental illnesses come together to rebuild their lives based on their personal strengths, not limitations or disabilities.  Members, in partnership with a small staff, plan, operate, and maintain all functions of the club.  Clubhouse activities are organized around meeting the needs of members and maintaining the building.  Organized into work units, members engage in reception, data entry, janitorial, clerical, food preparation and various other service activities.

Clubhouses are designed to be consumer-run programs.  This means that members have a vital role to play in planning, decision-making and ongoing operations.  Members organize themselves into representative groups or committees to meet the social and human needs of their membership.  They welcome and orient new members, help arbitrate conflicts, plan for social/recreational events, and decide matters of policy on a consensus basis.  House meetings allow all members to come together and discuss any aspect of the club's operation, offer suggestions, and express hopes and dreams for the future.  It is this component of member involvement in all areas of club operations and the opportunity to make binding decisions that makes a clubhouse a “members-run” program. 

This aspect of empowerment is crucial to the recovery process.  It is through the individual’s decision to take responsibility for improving their life, that members begin building, for themselves, a life of meaningful participation in their communities.  The clubhouse is a mini-community where members are given many opportunities to make decisions and take control of activities that contribute to the successful operation of the club and the self-worth of its members.  Through taking initiative and assuming leadership roles, members demonstrate strengths and abilities that inspire and create hope for others.  A culture of caring and shared pride in their club supports and encourages others to challenge themselves and grow.  Peers, both as staff and as members, become living models of success.  Like sign posts by the side of the road, Peers show the way through their example. 

To locate a Clubhouse in your area view the 2010 Michigan Clubhouse Directory.

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To learn about Michigan clubhouses visit the Michigan Association of Clubhouses website.

To learn about the history of the clubhouse movement and assistance available to new and established clubs around the world visit the International Center for Clubhouse Development website.

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Read Letter to Directors of Peer-Run Recovery Programs