Although the month of May has been designated as Mental Health Awareness Month, for those living with serious mental illness, every day is a Mental Health Day. Mental illness is not something people choose. It is not a character flaw. It is a disease like any other disease. It does not discriminate based on age, gender, race, religion, or economic status. It affects all segments of society. There is no health without mental health.

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, one in five adults will experience a mental health disorder that can affect their ability to function, to work, and even form friendships. Although practically everyone has or knows someone who has struggled with a mental health issue, the stigma around the topic persists, making it difficult for those who are struggling to find the help and resources they need.

Mental Health Awareness Month gives relevant organizations the opportunity to reduce this stigma, fight misconceptions about mental health, and offer people the resources they need to cope. One such organization here in Fort Myers is Hope Clubhouse of SW Florida which helps people who have had their lives drastically disrupted by mental illness find hope and rebuild their lives.

Hope Clubhouse is a therapeutic gathering place with structure that promotes healing, opportunity, purpose, and empowerment. Those who participate in a Clubhouse are “members,” rather than patients. The Clubhouse emphasizes each person’s strengths, talents, and abilities. Members work side-by-side with Clubhouse staff, as colleagues, in an atmosphere of mutual caring and respect. Membership is voluntary and open to anyone over the age of 18 with a history of mental illness at no costs to members.

The Clubhouse offers three programs for career development — Business, Culinary and Horticulture. Members work in the department of their choice. Hope Clubhouse also encourages and supports members who are interested in furthering their education, works to ensure that members have access to affordable housing, and assists members in obtaining appropriate medical care and psychiatric services. The Clubhouse has supported more than 750 members over the last 10 years. Services are provided Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Additional support is provided on weekday evenings, Saturdays, and holidays.

People with a chronic mental illness can spend a lifetime in and out of emergency rooms, jails, and psychiatric hospitals. The power of the evidenced-based Clubhouse program is its effectiveness in keeping members out of the hospital, reducing their encounters with law enforcement, and on a continuous path to recovery. Many members will tell you that the Clubhouse saved their life. By helping these individuals maintain stability and achieve recovery, the Clubhouse reduces the economic burden on the community.

Anyone wishing to learn how they can support plans for building a larger Clubhouse to better serve the growing needs of the community, please contact Erin Broussard, CEO at 239-267-1777 or hopeclubhouse.org.

— Dottie Pacharis is a mental health advocate and author of the book, Mind on the Run – A Bipolar Chronicle.