CLEVELAND, Ohio — Approximately 1 in 25 adults in the United States has a serious mental illness. This means that most of us know or have a loved one who struggles with mental illness.
That’s one of the reasons I continue with Magnolia Clubhouse.
A unique partnership aimed at bringing more opportunities to people with mental illness
Related: Clubhouse for adults with mental illness provides the link to healing that is often missing
It helps people with mental illness learn how to cope and live their best lives.
Michael Hamlin is one of many success stories.
At one of the lowest points in his life, Hamlin found himself expelled from college and homeless.
“I really struggled with my mental health for a long time. I always thought of myself as a loner and someone who didn’t really need community,” Hamlin said.
The Akron native learned about Fountain House after living on the streets of New York City for several months.
“My life journey at that time completely changed,” Hamlin said.
This nonprofit organization’s mission is to leverage the community to transform mental illness recovery.
“What we talk about a lot in the clubhouse is about tapping into that universal need of being needed and giving it purpose and meaning,” Hamlin said.
The Fountain House, which has been around since the 1940s, was the blueprint used to build Cleveland’s Magnolia clubhouse.
“This is truly a peer-driven model that partners with experts. Clubhouse is a proven model that can provide critical support and connect you with critical services such as employment, housing, and education.” Magnolia said James Weininger of Clubhouse.
I first focused on the work happening in the Magnolia Clubhouse in March 2022.
Since then, much has changed in terms of demand.
“So when you came, we were averaging about 65 people a day,” Magnolia Clubhouse Executive Lori DeAngelo said.
The number now stands at 85.
However, this is a small fraction of the number of people in need of assistance.
“If you have 10,000 people in your community, about 800 of them have severe mental illness and would benefit from a resource like this,” D’Angelo said.
Expansion plans are underway to meet the surge in demand and move patients away from expensive alternative medicines.
“A year in the clubhouse costs less than a week in the hospital,” D’Angelo said.
The Magnolia Clubhouse is in the midst of a capital campaign to connect two existing buildings and increase membership capacity by 50%.
“I think the total project cost is about $5 million, so we’re more than halfway there,” said James Weininger.
This is an investment that Hamlin told me could change lives, and he’s proof of it.
“I was able to go back to school and get my degree,” Hamlin said.
Hamlin uses his sociology degree to serve people living with severe mental illness as part of the Magnolia Clubhouse staff.
“Being able to like and listen and offer insight and help with other people’s suffering, yeah, that’s really beneficial. That’s what helps me stay balanced right now. “It’s helpful. I’m able to do good work for people,” he said. Hamlin.
Several new clubhouses have come online across Ohio in recent years.
But only eight of the state’s 88 counties do.
The goal is to have one in each county to help the growing population with severe mental illness.
