Access Supports for Living Receives $1.4M NY State Funding for Clubhouse Program

The member-driven model is making a significant impact by providing life skills training, employment resources, community, and other supports for adults facing mental health challenges. Recently, funding has been awarded to support seven programs across various locations, including Long Island, Westchester County, and five communities upstate. This initiative aims to enhance the quality of life for individuals by offering essential resources and support systems. For more details, you can read the full announcement here: https://lnkd.in/gf4hkNxa.

Big news for mental health recovery in New York! Governor Kathy Hochul has announced $6.3 million in funding to establish seven new Clubhouses across New York State, expanding access to the Clubhouse Model in communities outside of New York City. The investment will support new Clubhouses in Westchester, Suffolk, Monroe, Saratoga, Cayuga, and Oswego counties. This announcement reflects growing recognition of what the Clubhouse International community has long known: recovery happens through connection, purpose, and belonging. We are excited to welcome Access: Supports for Living, East House, New Horizon Counseling Center, RISE, Unity House, St. John's Community Services, and Hands Across Long Island into New York's growing Clubhouse network and grateful to Governor Hochul, the New York State Office of Mental Health, and the many advocates and partners who helped make this investment possible. Together, we are expanding access to the life-changing impact of the Clubhouse Model for more New Yorkers than ever before. Read more here: https://on.ny.gov/3RykhAy #WeAreClubhouseInternational #ClubhouseWorks #ClubhouseModel #MentalHealthRecovery #NewYork #CommunityMentalHealth

Self‑care starts with support—and in 2025, the York Region Health and Well-Being Review found that more than 5,400 residents benefited from community-based investments in mental well‑being initiatives across York Region. We’re also strengthening access to connected mental health supports through: ✅ The Service Navigator Pilot, offering a single trusted contact and completing nearly 300 referrals for vulnerable residents ✅ The Mobile Youth Services Hub, connecting 600+ youth to 800+services including mental health, food access, and life‑skills supports ✅ A new Mental Health Community Care Hub in Newmarket, in partnership with Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) ✅ An Infant and Early Mental Health Care Pathway to ensure timely support for children birth to age six On Self‑Care Day, we’re reminded that well‑being grows when communities invest in accessible, judgment‑free support. Visit https://lnkd.in/gcnhmkia to learn more! #SelfCareDay #MentalWellbeing #YorkRegion #HealthAndWellBeingReview

We're grateful to Assemblymember Marc Berman, Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, and Senator Josh Becker for their leadership and support of youth mental health in California. This critical investment will help ensure allcove centers can continue serving young people and families with the care, connection, and support they deserve. Read the full announcement below:

Day 1 of our BEING - Mental Health Consumers Regional Roadshow took Giancarlo de Vera 🌈 MAICD and I to Broken Hill, where we had the privilege of visiting the Mental Health Prevention and Rehabilitation Centre (MHPARC), thanks to Tahlia Guerin and the incredible team for their warm welcome. It was invaluable to connect with mental health peer workers, AOD peer workers, a disaster peer worker, and health staff to share BEING's work and, most importantly, listen to the experiences of the local community. We heard about the unique challenges of delivering mental health support across the Far West Local Health District , including barriers to transport and housing, the need for stronger peer workforce support connecting peers across the state with fellow peer workers and access to peer supervision, more queer-safe services, timely access to AOD rehabilitation, and the complexities of navigating care across three state borders. We also learnt about the vital role of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and the new Disaster Peer Worker role in supporting remote communities. These conversations reinforce the importance of listening to local communities and ensuring lived experience informs better, more equitable mental health services across NSW. We finished the day with a spectacular sunset over the Mundi Mundi Plains, a breathtaking reminder of the beauty and resilience of the Far West. #RegionalRoadshow #LivedExperience #MentalHealth #PeerWork #BrokenHill #FarWestNSW #CommunityConnections

San Juan County Partnership has been creating real spaces for teens to connect through Teen Rising Circles, a free peer support group built by youth for youth ages 11 to 17. Over 8 week sessions, teens gathered on Saturdays to build life skills, talk openly in a safe environment, and connect with peers who understand what they are going through. Sessions included food and a celebration for those who completed the full program. This is community peer support in action! Programs like Teen Rising Circles reflect the work of New Mexico's County and Tribal Health Councils, who listen to residents, identify what the community needs, and together take action. Identifying and responding to youth needs like the Teen Rising Circles is what Health Councils do in shaping how the state responds to youth mental health and community wellbeing. San Juan County Partnership continues to offer peer support year round. Visit sjcpartnership.org to join upcoming youth programs. #SanJuanNewMexico #SanJuanHealthCouncil #TeenRising #YouthServices New Mexico State Legislature New Mexico Department of Health

More than $6 million has been awarded to establish seven Clubhouses in upstate New York, providing services and supports to individuals living with mental health challenges and promoting self-determination. WXXI Public Broadcasting Council reported on how East House in Rochester plans to use the funding to improve mental health. https://lnkd.in/eAFZdpib

Community connectors play a vital role in supporting communities to come together and help people to feel that they have a place where they can belong.  Working together in partnership to provide high quality, needs led and accessible support that has an impact on people, has to be at the heart of the work that we do.  As we continue to strive to support communities to be vibrant and thrive,  we're making a long term commitment to continuing to strengthen and build new partnerships that allow us to support people who experience mental ill health to have the basic building blocks of life: • meaningful occupation whether that be through volunteering, engaging in education or paid employment - a JOB • somewhere safe to call home - a HOUSE • a community that they feel part of - a FRIEND 

What happens when someone has nowhere to belong? The hidden cost of isolation goes far beyond loneliness. When people become disconnected from their communities, the impact can affect every aspect of life, from mental and physical health to relationships, self-worth, and overall well-being. Isolation doesn't just affect individuals; it impacts families, communities, and entire systems of care. Research consistently shows that social isolation is associated with poorer health outcomes, increased stress and depression, and greater healthcare utilization. In South Carolina, emergency department visits related to mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders generated more than $4 million in hospital charges in a single year, highlighting the significant human and economic impact of unmet mental health needs. At Clubhouse South Carolina, we believe belonging is not a luxury. It is a vital part of recovery. Because recovery is not only about treatment. It is also about having people who know your name, notice when you're missing, celebrate your successes, and remind you that you matter. No one should have to face life's challenges alone. Together, we can build a South Carolina where everyone has a place to belong. Data on emergency department charges from the South Carolina Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office Emergency Department Reports Database, reported through the Clear Impact Community Health Dashboard.

Youth mental health deserves more than attention; it deserves investment. Kaiser Permanente's new $10 million commitment to expand the Youth Mental Health Corps is an exciting example of how to strengthen mental health support while investing in the next generation of behavioral health professionals. The funding will help expand peer support services, strengthen training for young adults serving in these roles, and ultimately bring trusted mental health resources to an additional 200,000 young people nationwide. Peer support recognizes a simple but powerful truth: sometimes the person best equipped to help is someone who has walked a similar path. Creating opportunities for young adults to serve their communities while building meaningful careers is a win for individuals, families, and the future of our mental health workforce. Expanding access to care isn't only about increasing the number of clinicians; it's also about building stronger systems of support, reducing stigma, and meeting young people where they are. This is the kind of investment that creates lasting change. #MentalHealth #YouthMentalHealth #PeerSupport #BehavioralHealth #SocialWork #CommunityHealth #WorkforceDevelopment #PublicHealth #Leadership https://lnkd.in/gVKFxFbS