Alliance Note: We are heartened to see New York Representative Ritchie Torres has voiced his support to fund Clubhouse programs through federal dollars in a letter sent to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) yesterday. We greatly support the expansion of Clubhouses in New York State and throughout the nation with more sustainable funding.
Here in New York State, the Alliance continues to push the state legislature to bring Clubhouses back upstate so more New Yorkers can benefit from the wonderful services and social connections provided by Clubhouses. You can join our advocacy campaign for more Clubhouses throughout the state by attending our NYC Regional Forum in Brooklyn tomorrow, when we will discuss the need to bring more of these programs up in the City and upstate. We will also be pushing for Clubhouse expansion in NYS at our Annual Legislative Day on March 5th, when you’ll be able to speak with legislators to urge them to bring back sustainable state funding for Clubhouses!
See below to learn more about the Clubhouse model and Ritchie Torres’ legislation aimed at providing federal funding. Special thanks to Maya Kaufman, who will be receiving the Alliance’s Public Education Award at this year’s Annual Legislative Day (3/5) to honor her exemplary efforts to educate the public about the policy priorities of New Yorkers with Mental Health and trauma related challenges!
Ritchie Torres Pushes for more Federal Support for ‘Clubhouses,’ Citing NYC Model
By Maya Kaufman | Politico | February 14, 2024
Rep. Ritchie Torres is pressing the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to help increase access to clubhouses, citing research by New York City clubhouse operator Fountain House.
Clubhouses serve as community centers where people with serious mental illnesses can socialize, access clinical support and get connected to job opportunities and other resources.
The Bronx Democrat introduced legislation earlier this month that would direct certified community behavioral health clinics to broaden their scope of services to include psychosocial rehabilitation, in partnership with local clubhouses.
SAMHSA sets the certification criteria for community behavioral health clinics and administers grant funding to support their operation.
While the agency has previously awarded grants to clubhouses, Torres is calling for more comprehensive support of the model.
“I urge SAMHSA to take a public health approach to SMI recovery by addressing both the health and social needs, particularly loneliness and social isolation, which exacerbate the negative symptoms of SMI by exploring investments in proven, integrated models like the clubhouse model of psychosocial rehabilitation,” Torres wrote in a letter Tuesday to the agency, which was shared exclusively with POLITICO.
His legislation, which is co-sponsored by Rep. Shri Thanedar (D-Mich.), marks the first time “clubhouse” has been defined in federal bill language, according to Fountain House.
Recent economic modeling by the mental health nonprofit found that clubhouses save the U.S. at least $682 million annually by reducing the secondary costs of untreated mental illness, from lost wages to repeat emergency room visits and involvement with the criminal justice system.
“Psychosocial rehabilitation is a valuable, evidence-based element of the care continuum, serving as a critical bridge between high-acuity care and long-term health and productivity for people living with SMI,” Torres added in the letter. “I have learned that participation in the clubhouse model promotes positive recovery trajectories and a significantly improved quality of life for members by fostering a sense of unity and belongingness.”