Three perspectives on a clubhouse startup: Members, staff, and community partners

Clubhouses are nonclinical community-based recovery programs for adults with serious mental illness. This case study investigated the perceived impact and value of a Clubhouse startup from the perspectives of its inaugural members and staff, and potential referral sources.

Participatory mixed-methods research practices were used to engage Clubhouse members and staff as partners in all stages of the research process. A convergent parallel design integrated quantitative and qualitative data from three groups of participants: Clubhouse members, Clubhouse staff, and community referral sources. Redacted records for the first 43 members were used to gather demographic information and identify the functional needs of the startup's initial members. Three participatory exercises were conducted to gather and analyze qualitative data with Clubhouse members (n = 12) and staff (n = 2). Potential community referral sources completed anonymous online surveys (n = 41) or participated in an interview (n = 3).

Quantitative and qualitative findings from members and staff support previous literature regarding the functional (housing and employment) and psychosocial needs (community, structure, growth, identity, and reactions to stigma) of Clubhouse members and are the first to report them in the context of a Clubhouse startup. Quantitative and qualitative findings from community referral sources suggest that the startup's initial outreach efforts with their local network of providers that serve adults with serious mental illness have yielded a positive and generally accurate impression of the startup's value.

Implications of findings for Clubhouse practice and research are discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved).