New York City Mayor Eric Adams tours a Fountain House mental health clubhouse, July 18, 2022.Clubhouses have been a mental health service that a New York City official said was right "under our noses" for over 75 years.
Two weeks ago, New York's health department announced a $30 million investment into more clubhouses, doubling the investment from previous years. Through the years, the clubhouse model kept getting refined as psychiatrists, social workers and mental health experts added more expertise and methods to the meetings.
Roughly 5,000 individuals are served by New York City clubhouses, according to the health department.have shown that clubhouses help reduce the number of hospitalizations and incarcerations in their local cities. MORE: Parents say they're struggling with their own mental health amid a growing youth mental health crisis
As part of its proposal, the health department issued a request for proposals from organizations looking to set up a clubhouse with a focus on "enhancing clubhouse quality, improving member experience, and expanding referral pathways to support those with serious mental illness."The health department said it anticipates an additional 3,700 people to take part in clubhouse programs from the new funding.