Magnolia Clubhouse is tucked away in Cleveland's University Circle neighborhood. It currently serves about 330 people from across Cuyahoga County, all diagnosed with some level of mental illness.
None live at the site, but everyone can use it daily as a support and transitional center following hospitalization, while they re-enter the larger society.
Magnolia Clubhouse is part of an international organization with more than 325 clubhouses in 28 countries, but for 50 years it has been the only Clubhouse in operation in Ohio, and even now is one of only two - the other is 'just' opening, in Dayton..
Named for the street where it sits - the center actively helps between 75-100 clients each day, providing psychological counseling, and life assistance such as securing housing, financial management, or helping to find suitable jobs with a high likelihood of success..
Former patient Kimberly Brabson volunteers at Magnolia Clubhouse.
The facility helped her get a job at TJ MAXX, one of the Clubhouses' employment service partners.
"When you have a mental illness, it's hard for people to recognize your talents and things like that, but when you're here, they know your talents, they know that you need help - they want to know your skills, what are your strengths and your weaknesses… your talents and what-not."
Nearly all of the clinic clients are Medicaid and Medicare patients - but leadership stresses that reimbursement for the service is far from the actual 'cost' of the service. Foundation grants, outside fund raising, limited public dollars, and an adjacent store where donated items and art are sold make up the remainder of the budget.
Part of the funds pay for contractual services with area health care professionals.
Through the Clubhouse's arrangement with University Hospitals; U-H Psychiatrist Patrick Runnels spends 3-and-a-half days a week here, working one-on-one with patients.
"People are able to engage in a community that helps give them an anchor, gives a sense of belonging, helps add to their lives in this positive, nurturing way, that you can then add services like mental health and physical health on top of that - and they participate in much higher and more enthusiastic rates."
That assistance with the 'physical' needs wasn't always being met, but now it may.
An agreement has just been reached with the Northeast Ohio Neighborhood Health Services - or NEON for short --.... to bring more doctors to Magnolia each month, to deal mostly with physical needs and ailments.
Terri Clemons Clark is NEON's Development Director.
"....we know that there is a disparity for individuals that live with mental illness in terms of life expectancy. And we know that it can be improved if they're connected with primary care and receive the preventative services that NEON offers and other primary care providers; and emphasizing access and getting them connected to that care is very important in changing those numbers."
Beyond the health service - is convenience.
Many mentally ill patients were being told by their hospitals to continue seeing a physician, once released. But despite efforts to assign patients locally, some doctors they were being referred to were far off - Westlake, Mentor, Lyndhurst, and even Ashtabula.... for a clientele that is currently 56% Cleveland residents - and entirely based in Cuyahoga County.
(David DiTullio)
"....How does that make sense for someone who's on a limited income, relying on public transportation?"
David DiTullio is Magnolia's Program manager.
"We could just have the person seen here at the Clubhouse, or if their needs exceed what is available here at the Clubhouse, they can go to NEON -which is just a couple of blocks… they have their health center and they can provide good quality care."
The program is already attracting attention. Inquiries are frequent. The Clubhouse just recently hosted staff members and clients, here for a look from a center in Pennsylvania. The hope is that the effort - and the idea - will spread, benefiting the mentally ill regionally, and beyond.
