Exclusion vs Opportunity – Part III: Socialization
on September 23rd, 2012 at 1:42 pmParts I and II of this series focused on the movement in employment opportunities for previously excluded groups in Australia and the United States. Earlier, we had described how two clubhouses have overcome obstacles preventing their members’ access to decent psychiatric and primary care services. In this Part, we turn to another area in which those suffering from severe mental illness have overcome exclusionary practices – socialization
The WANA (We Are Not Alone) Society was formed in the latter days of World War II at Rockland (NY) Psychiatric Center based on the notion that in helping others each individual is also helping him- or herself. As WANA patients were released, this “self-help through mutual help” core value was brought to New York City and became formalized when Fountain House was opened in 1948. The membership met evenings and weekends for the next several years. One of the unique aspects of this schedule was that the clubhouse was open during each and every holiday, especially meaningful at Thanksgiving and Christmas as times when loneliness is even more acute.
In 1956, the new Executive Director, John Beard, decided that daytime hours would provide expanded socialization opportunities. The new day program created an environment based on the need for members to work together for the unique benefit of the individual and general membership. Thus, members interacted with each other to clean and maintain the facility; prepare, serve and clean-up lunch; greet new members and other visitors; answer phones, handle mail, publish an in-house daily newsletter by (and for) members; and perform additional clerical functions; and other tasks needed to operate their clubhouse.
Over the ensuing years, further opportunities were developed to reduce exclusion by engaging in community-based activities. In obtaining an organizational admission, members were able to participate in activities at the local “Y.” A near-by settlement house provided access to its gym for basketball playing. Similarly, local parks made it possible to play softball with other programs. Fountain House was also able to obtain special rates for group attendance for both Yankee and Mets baseball games, theater events and movies.
By 1966, the Fountain House membership had outgrown the original setting and moved into new substantially larger quarters. This new facility afforded the opportunity to advance even more the socialization process that occurred over time. Members were involved in deciding and thus designating rooms for music, TV, a library, and a game room. Larger quarters for administrative functions provided members additional social and work activities side-by-side with staff.
One of the finest new opportunities at the new building involved a lovely, homelike Living Room, complete with a working fireplace. At first, it was meant to be open solely for the evening-weekend program. Members soon gave voice to the desire to have it available during the day as a place to relax before or after their going to TE placements, or otherwise as a quiet place to unwind. The Living Room became a place for new members to acclimate, and a place for staff to approach and engage isolates. Many members have commented that it was the access provided by the Living Room that made it possible for them to connect successfully to the clubhouse. By the same token, the new facility provided other internal areas, near specific work sites, as well as outdoor gardens where members could meditate, take a break, or just “chill out.” For both staff and members this afforded a wonderful opportunity to “reach-in” to get to know and establish relationships with those spending time at these sites.
Along with the value gained to all with the “reach-in” efforts to those whose major involvement is the passive usage of the Living Room and other non-work-oriented areas, there also evolved an expanding “reach-out” activity to those who “dropped-out”, had been re-hospitalized or had otherwise discontinued attendance. Reach-out provided an opportunity for overcoming feelings of exclusion for both the deliverer as well as the receiver of the service.
In the 1970’s with the acquisition of the working farm at High Point, New Jersey, a new socialization opportunity presented itself. At the farm, members who had never been out of New York City not only “lived” in the country, they also had the small group experience of living for 24-hour days with staff having 3 meals a day, working on farm activities and spending evenings together.
At the same time in the 1970’s the Colleague Training Program was initiated, whereby members were heavily involved in clubhouse expansion, including site visits and training colleagues (both members and staff from outside agencies) in the clubhouse model. Further, members were able to attend and present at local, regional, national and international conferences
In 1996, a new initiative provided for a different kind of reach-out opportunity. A group of members started visiting Manhattan Psychiatric Center each Tuesday evening to meet with inpatients. The goal was to establish relationships which might lead to hospital release and possible intake to Fountain House. The program has been extremely successful in interesting many applications for membership which, in turn, provided this “reach-out” team to gain a sense of “payback” and self-satisfaction in keeping with the core WANA value of self-help through mutual help.
Many more examples socialization opportunities in the clubhouse could be identified, but the point, we at TCA believe, has been sufficiently made — i.e., many of the social amenities that are available to most of us are typically denied to those with severe mental health issues. Moreover, such exclusions need to be rightfully overcome, if mental health consumers are to be fully included in everyday society.
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It is essential to focus on the issue of exclusion, — by doing so it cuts to the heart of the challenges facing those with severe psychiatric illnesses. All the disabling conditions that arise with mental illness are exacerbated by exclusion and the isolation. Clubhouses are definitely the best way to reverse this downward spiral by providing a social network, as this posting describes so well.
Subsenquently, the opportunity brings members back, closer to the center of the world of friends, work and decent housing. When I was a member many years ago the living room at Fountain House was a sanctuary for me, where I needed to spend time before having the ability to participate more actively. This “sanctuary” aspect of the Clubhouse gives members the chance to proceed at their own pace, an essential element of recovery from an illness whose effects are mostly invisible.
For me, socialization was the foundation I had to establish before being able to take on aspects of Clubhouse work of which I wasn’t yet capable. Eventually I think some people move on from the original social network they established at the Clubhouse. And decades later I still remain connected, like one would with a family, to many of those with whom I bonded during my recovery at Fountain House.
Thanks again for your important series on this critical subject.
Socialization is incredibly important, not only for clubhouse members themselves, but for society too. Growing up as the daughter of social workers, I learned that people with mental illness are primarily people–people who work hard (or don’t), who have the same feelings and goals as those without. This is something that is missing from most portrayals of mental illness, in movies and so forth: so often it’s the people themselves that are missing.
I remember Fountain House Farm Project at High Point, NY. I have so many positive memories, not only of the house and the farm, but of the joy of the members and staff there. It was hard work, but I don’t remember anyone slacking. Meals were a time of discussion, humor and fun. There was no working TV (although I remember watching movies on a VCR), so there was a lot of interaction.
I’ve since met people who are afraid of mental illness, and I do my best to tell them what I’ve learned, but I think it’s a message that doesn’t absorb until you’ve met someone who is struggling or has overcome their illness.