[Alliance Enews] Calls for Upstate Clubhouse Funding Gaining Momentum

[Luke Sikinyi]

Alliance Note: As New York looks to improve the Mental Health services system, the state must focus on expanding effective community-based services like the Clubhouse model. While New York City has committed to expanding membership at City Clubhouses with an extra 30 million, the state does not have dedicated funding for accredited Clubhouses. We need upstate Clubhouses so New Yorkers outside of the city can benefit from the wonderful services they offer.

We are very happy to see Hudson Valley residents will have access to these services now that the Hudson Valley Clubhouse has opened its doors and quickly begun accepting new members. The Alliance continues to push for state funding for Upstate Clubhouses. This year we are advocating for state investment in multiple pilots to support the growth of Clubhouses upstate, including the Hudson Valley Clubhouse and groups in Western New York. Join our advocacy efforts by coming up to Albany on March 5th for our Legislative Day. See below to reserve your seat on one of our buses coming from all over the state. Learn more about the effectiveness of Clubhouse here<https://www.fountainhouse.org/assets/Brief-Summary-of-Evidence-for-Clubhouses_2022.pdf>. Read below to learn more about the opening of the Hudson Valley Clubhouse.

Register for the Bus<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc_jaKm04R2JF_MJ3bUlG8GGUalcxci3r_5rMQlUejwxW1tUw/viewform>


New Clubhouse Opening Spurs Push for State Investment
By Maya Kaufman | Politico | February 23, 2024

Clubhouses for people with severe mental illnesses have been gaining steam in New York City as a supplement - or even an alternative - to the dominant medicalized models.

Mayor Eric Adams last year committed $7 million to significantly increase clubhouse capacity<https://url.avanan.click/v2/___https:/go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4e52b7bba02bfeab6eb3a90bea4b6bc1e0b2aacfd79fa0e50f1f134110d79055eece22af1f302895579cd8fb228356c2___.YXAzOm55YXByczphOm86YjE4NTVmMGY0YjljYmM2MDg5NTY0NTZiOGRmMzcwMjk6NjpiMjE2OjkwYjcyOTk5Yjc2MzhhNmI2MzIyZWMwNjYzMGM3MGI4OTlkZWViMGY1NDUyOTY3YTgyOGU3M2FlZDJjMjJhYTQ6aDpU>.

Now the model's reach is extending past the five boroughs with the opening of the Hudson Valley Clubhouse in Poughkeepsie, which is working to become the state's first accredited clubhouse<https://url.avanan.click/v2/___https:/go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4e52b7bba02bfeabcb0d341b5af4da471dd9245f378d38a4e43d8f7895eab3d2cdc3b50bd39eb5c855da530bba706fd5___.YXAzOm55YXByczphOm86YjE4NTVmMGY0YjljYmM2MDg5NTY0NTZiOGRmMzcwMjk6NjpkNjE2OjdiNzExM2YxMmZmMGU2YmE3NDE3MDRmMjZlYTc1NTJlYzNlOWQ3NWE5NjM3NzNhMmI4ODUyMTEzNGNhNjQ1YTY6aDpU> outside New York City.

The clubhouse provides structured daily activities that reflect members' interests, from cooking to exercise classes, and partners with local employers to connect them to job opportunities.

Since opening at the start of the year, the clubhouse has accumulated 25 members and counting. It has also initiated a longitudinal study with Marist College to assess the clubhouse's efficacy in Poughkeepsie and Dutchess County.

But while the city is devoting millions of dollars to open new clubhouses and expand existing ones, the state has not followed suit.

Hudson Valley Clubhouse leaders are now pushing Gov. Kathy Hochul's administration to include funding for accredited clubhouses in the upcoming state budget.

"Without clubhouses in the continuum of care, New Yorkers living with serious mental illness, including those in smaller, underserved cities and more rural areas, will not receive an adequate level of care to address their full range of needs," they wrote in written testimony<https://url.avanan.click/v2/___https:/go.politicoemail.com/?qs=4e52b7bba02bfeabbee69fce70e536d9defd3325a28539db430c07db28a98a463be71b0c77a7c0a46e7c2fa791de2e95___.YXAzOm55YXByczphOm86YjE4NTVmMGY0YjljYmM2MDg5NTY0NTZiOGRmMzcwMjk6Njo1NjFlOmRiYjFmNmU5NzQ0MTAxZWIxZDY3NmU4ZDY2MGYxM2ZlMzMyZjBhYjIwZTc2MTc5YTJiNjcwNDdmMDQ4ZjhhNDg6aDpU> submitted to the state Legislature.


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