•Today hundreds of millions of people worldwide are
affected by mental illness. People
living with serious and persistent mental illness are among the most severely stigmatized and
marginalized groups in the
world. Human rights violations, poverty, a sense of shame, a lack of education, and restricted opportunities
to participate and
contribute in society are common.
•The International Center for Clubhouse Development
(ICCD) was founded in 1994 as a
response to this profound international crisis. Our work is to create and nurture sustainable community
based resource centers of
opportunity and hope for people living with mental illness. These centers are modeled after the very
successful Fountain House program
in New York City. Here we help people with mental illness participate in society through
employment, supported
education, a circle of friends; access to needed services (medical and social); and a place to belong. The ICCD is
a global network of such centers,
called “Clubhouses.”