The International Standards for Clubhouse Programs™

The International Standards for Clubhouse Programs™, agreed upon by all our member Clubhouses, define the Clubhouse Model of rehabilitation. The Standards:

 

  • Are at the heart of the success experienced by Clubhouses around the world helping people with mental illness stay out of hospitals while achieving social, financial, educational, and vocational goals; Serve as a “bill of rights” for members and a code of ethics for Clubhouse staff, boards and administrators, and a reminder that Clubhouses must be places that offer respect and opportunities to members;
  • Provide the basis for assessing Clubhouse quality through the Clubhouse International Accreditation™ process.
  • Every two years the worldwide Clubhouse community reviews these Standards and amends them as necessary. The process is coordinated by the Clubhouse International Standards Review Committee, made up of members and staff from Accredited Clubhouses around the world. The Standards insist that a Clubhouse is a place that offers respect and opportunity to its members.

 

Last revised 2023.

Download a PDF version HERE. For languages other than English, visit HERE. 

 

 

Standards Review Process
  

The International Standards for Clubhouse Programs ™ (Standards) are the “Best Practices” of the Clubhouse International model for encouraging, supporting and assisting people living with mental illness as they pursue recovery and a personally meaningful and satisfying life.The Standards serve as the sufficient and necessary elements of any organization wishing to implement the Clubhouse approach to psychosocial rehabilitation. They define the characteristics of the model as it has evolved from the original Fountain House program in New York City.  Today the Standards represent the best thinking and effective practices of members, staff and board members of hundreds of Clubhouses operating in more than 30 countries on six continents. The Standards and the Clubhouse International model now describe a truly international approach.  

 

Clubhouse International is committed to the continuous improvement of the model. We understand that the unique needs of people living with mental illness exist in a world that is ever-changing. Therefore, we regularly review and update our Standards to reflect effective innovations and improvements to the model.

Clubhouse International oversees a process designed engage and include many voices and perspectives from our global Member network. This is known as the Standards Review Process.

 
The Process in Summary

1. Any member Clubhouse in good standing can make a proposal to improve or add to the Standards at any time by writing to the Standards Review Committee.

 

2. All Clubhouses that are members of Clubhouse International are given the opportunity several times to review and comment on all qualified proposed Standards changes.

 

3. In order to be included as a qualified proposal in the Clubhouse International Standards review process a proposal must meet basic criteria regarding general applicability, universality of concern, consistency with Clubhouse values and be organized in the required proposal format.

 

4. The Standards Review Committee conducts an ongoing open process where any member Clubhouse is welcomed and encouraged to make a proposal to improve the International Standards for Clubhouse Programs. The Standards Review Committee has three specific responsibilities:

A. To receive and review new Standards change proposals against the following criteria:

  • The proposal must be generally applicable to all Clubhouse International model Clubhouses.

  • The proposal must be regarding a topic that is of universal concern to all Clubhouse International model programs.

  • The proposal must be generally consistent with Clubhouse values and principles.

  • The proposal must be submitted in the format required by the Standards Review Committee.

Note: The Standards Review Committee is empowered and encouraged to work with the proposing Clubhouse(s) to improve a proposal in order to help it meet the above criteria.

B. After determining that a proposal meets the above criteria, the Standards Review Committee circulates the proposal throughout the Clubhouse International community and seeks feedback in support or in opposition to the proposal. This is accomplished through electronic communication, opens hearings at the biennial Clubhouse International World Seminar and detailed discussion at the annual meetings of the Faculty for Clubhouse Development, The Clubhouse Advisory Board and the Clubhouse International Training Base Group. (Note: This process is typically completed by collecting and distributing multiple proposals for consideration over a scheduled two-year period of time.

C. To make a determination about the level of support for each qualified proposal based on the feedback from the Clubhouse International community and recommend inclusion for only those proposed changes that receive widespread support in the next published edition of the International Standards for Clubhouse Programs.

 

5. A new edition of the International Standards for Clubhouse Programs is published and disseminated every two years with changes accepted by the Standards Review Committee. The latest edition of the International Standards for Clubhouse Programs™ is the basis for all Clubhouse International approved training programs and the Clubhouse International Accreditation process.   

 

 

The Standards Review Committee is a group of members and staff from Accredited Clubhouses, and who are members of the Clubhouse International Faculty for Clubhouse Development (Faculty). The SRC is a committee of the Clubhouse International Board of Directors. The Clubhouse International Executive Director is responsible for managing the SRC for the Board of Directors and insuring that it carries out its charge and reporting requirements. The SRC is responsible for overseeing the process for collecting, considering and distributing proposals for changes to the International Standards for Clubhouse Programs and determining the level of consensus for each qualified proposal. The SRC as an entity does not write, propose, or edit proposals for consideration by the international Clubhouse community. The role of the SRC is to manage the proposal process and to work closely with the Clubhouse International staff and the Faculty to determine the level of support for qualified proposals. Learn more...