20 Jun About Clubhouse Accreditation
Accreditation from Clubhouse International provides many benefits to Clubhouse organizations like ours. To gain Clubhouse accreditation, an organization is evaluated by self-study and a Clubhouse International team and held to a rigorous set of 36 standards. Since the Clubhouse model is based on a work day program, employment is a large component of accreditation. Accreditation begins with a team of Clubhouse members and staff who review each standard as a self-study practice. The result of the self-study process is a written report from the Clubhouse to Clubhouse International and the consulting team, describing the Clubhouse and its areas of strength and relative weakness, as seen by the members and staff. In this process, the Clubhouse begins to identify aspects of the program which they would like to improve. The self-study becomes the foundation for strategic improvement in the operation of the Clubhouse, and provides the Clubhouse International Faculty team with a place to begin the consultation.
The Accreditation visits are made by members of Clubhouse International’s Faculty for Clubhouse Development. The Faculty consultants are members and staff from strong Clubhouses around the world. Each Accreditation visit is made by a team of one staff and one member from the Faculty for Clubhouse Development. After receiving and reviewing the self-study and other relevant materials submitted by the Clubhouse, the Clubhouse International Faculty team visit the Clubhouse for 3-4 days. While on site, the Faculty team confirms the information presented in the self-study, and meets with members, staff, board members and other stakeholders of the Clubhouse. The Faculty team participates in Clubhouse meetings, the work day and other Clubhouse activities.
“Accreditation is a wonderful way for our Clubhouses to pursue self-development, and provides a baseline for understanding how well we’re doing against those standards,” said Carrie Framsted, Director of Clubhouse Programs for Vail Place. “These standards typically result in higher outcomes in terms of the number of members who are working, and the process itself has really strengthened our Clubhouses.” Carrie adds that accreditation also provides credibility for work with outside partners like hospitals and other residential facilities.
An evaluation team from Clubhouse International visited our Hopkins Clubhouse in early June, and we are eagerly awaiting the results of their visit. In early July, the Minneapolis Clubhouse will begin self-study meetings for its re-accreditation site visit this Fall. Accreditation is usually awarded for a three-year period, but can be just one year and is subject to the degree of adherence by the Clubhouse to the International Standards for Clubhouse Programs.