Research

Research across the decades consistently shows Clubhouse membership improves connection and opportunity in quantifiable ways. Research partners include the University of Massachusetts Medical School, the University of Southern California, Johns Hopkins University, and more. We have assembled a robust library of over 1,000 documents from the growing body of articles, presentations and peer-reviewed research on mental illness and the Clubhouse Model.

Clubhouse community ribbon cutting event

Measurable Impact

Decades of peer-reviewed research consistently shows that Clubhouse membership produces measurable, meaningful outcomes: higher rates of competitive employment, fewer and shorter psychiatric hospitalizations, reduced dependence on crisis services, stronger social connections, and an overall better quality of life. 

The evidence base supporting the Clubhouse Model is one of the most robust in the field of psychosocial rehabilitation. Studies spanning multiple countries and decades confirm what Clubhouse members know firsthand: when people are treated as capable, contributing members of a community, they rise to meet that belief.

Research also affirms the critical role that Accreditation plays in ensuring quality and consistency across the global Clubhouse network. Accredited Clubhouses demonstrate stronger outcomes giving members, families, funders, and communities confidence that the Clubhouse they're part of meets the highest international standards.
At Clubhouse International, we are committed to continually strengthening this evidence base — developing and refining research approaches that capture the full depth of member progress and elevate best practices across our entire network.
The science supports it. The stories prove it. The Clubhouse Model works. 

Article Library

Search by Document Information

Use the search fields or the A–Z filter above to browse the article library.

A Collision of Values

Jackson, R. 1987

A Pilot Study of Health and Wellness Program Development in an International Center for Clubhouse Development (ICCD) Clubhouse: Procedures, Implementation, and Implications

Casstevens, W. 2011

A study of a structured exercise program with members of an ICCD Certified Clubhouse: program design, benefits, and implications for feasibility

Pelletier, J. R., Nguyen, M., Bradley, K., Johnsen, M., & McKay, C. 2005

Breakthrough Club Express.

Stocker, S. 1995

Can the Clubhouse Serve all the Mentally Ill?

Tilot, L. 1995

Capital Clubhouse: A Pilot Model of a Consumer Run Clubhouse

Rhoads, K. 1993

Clubhouse Banks

Clubhouse International 2016

Clubhouse Coalitions: Clubhouse Norway

Clubhouse Norway 2020

Clubhouse Education Programs

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Clubhouse Facilitation of Independent Employment.

Frank, S. 1995

Clubhouse Leadership

Crane, K. 1995

Clubhouse Leadership. 1-3

Crane, K. 1995

Clubhouse Research: Clubhouse Response to COVID-19 Impact Survey

Clubhouse International 2020

Clubhouse Research: Why and How.

Anastasia, D. 1995

Clubhouse Tours

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Coronavirus Contingency Plan (Academy at Glengary)

Academy at Glangary 2020

Coronavirus Contingency Plan (Fountain House New York)

Dr. Ashwin Vasan, Dr. Ralph Aquila, Craig Bayer, Bianca Ortiz 2020

Coronavirus Contingency Plan (HERO HOUSE NW)

Hero House NW 2020

Coronavirus: Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) Application Form

Office of Management & Budget (USA) 2020

Coronavirus: The Small Business Owner’s Guide to the CARES Act

Senate Committee on Small Business & Entrepreneurship (USA) 2020

Coronavirus: US Benefits Information

Independence Center, Missouri (USA) 1997

Coronavirus: US Small Business Emergency Loans

Chamber of Commerce (USA) 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue # 1

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue # 2

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue # 3

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue # 4

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue # 5

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue # 6

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue # 7

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue # 8

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue # 9

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue #10

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue #11

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue #12

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue #13

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue #14

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue #15

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue #16

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue #17

Clubhouse International 2020

COVID-19 CRISIS: Tips & Strategies: Issue #18

Clubhouse International 2020

Decision Making in the Clubhouse

Arnold, M. 1995

Engaging Young Adults

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Evaluating Clubhouse Staff

Beard, J.R. 1995

Finding Purpose After Living with Delusion

Carey, B. 2011

Free At Last...Becoming a Free Standing Agency

Uhing, M.K. 1995

HIV Prevention in the Clubhouse

Jordan, W. B. & Selwyn, P. A 2008

How recovery oriented are mental health services in Hong Kong? Snapshots of service users' perspectives.

Tsoi, E., Lo, I., Chan, C., Siu, K., & Tse, S. 2014

Impact of Clubhouses in Reducing Psychiatric Readmission Risk

Faheem S, Lyons M, Moody M, et al. 2025

Interaction, Ideology, and Practice in Mental Health Rehabilitation.

Valkeapää, T., Tanaka, K., Lindholm, C., Weiste, E., & Stevanovic, M. -0001

Issue Brief: Addressing Tobacco Use in Adult Mental Health Service Programs.

McKay, C.E., Ziedonis, D., Seward, G., Williams, V., Bradley, K., Colburn, J. & Rocheleau, D. 2009

J.D., The Clubhouse and Me. 1-3

Lowe, H. 1995

Learning to Cope With a Mind

Carey, B. -0001

Lorikeet Clubhouse Evaluation.

Bishop, B. & Finney, H. 1996

Measuring perceived outcomes from participating at a clubhouse for persons with mental illness: Psychometric properties and associated factors

Ritter, V.C., R. Fekete, O.R., Nordli, H. & Bonsaksen, T. -0001

Mental Illness by the Numbers

Clubhouse International 2019

Mining Our Value System

Propst, R.N. 1987

Mutual Empowerment. 1-5

Gramps, M. 1985

My Employment Journey

Frank, Susan 1995

Necessity is the Mother of Invention.

Beard, J.R. 1995

Patienthood to Personhood.

Peckoff, J. 1992

Perceived stigma and quality of life of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and receiving psychiatric rehabilitation services: A comparison between the clubhouse model and a rehabilitation skills training model in South Korea

Jung, S. H. & Kim, H. J. 2012

Perspectives from Within the Clubhouse: A Qualitative Investigation into a Peer-to-Peer Vocational Support Program for Adults with Serious Mental Illness.

Roth, G. -0001

Physical activity and health status of members of a psychosocial rehabilitation clubhouse who have serious mental illness

Hammond, L., Seering, C., Tinklepaugh, M., & Wladrup, B. 2011

Psychometric validation of the Clubhouse climate questionnaire as an autonomy support measure for people with severe mental illness.

Fitzgerald, S., Umucu, E., Arora, S., Huck, G., Benton, S. F., & Chan, F. 2015

Quality of life among people with psychiatric disabilities attending community‐based day centres or Clubhouses.

Hultqvist, J., Markström, U., Tjörnstrand, C., & Eklund, M. -0001

Safety in the Clubhouse.

McLeod, J. 1995

Safety in the Clubhouse. 1-4

McLeod, J. 1995

Standard 20

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Supported and Independent Employment

Maragnano, Mark -0001

Supported Autonomy, 1-9.

Crawford, R. 1995

T.E. in the U.K. 1-8

Smith, C. 1995

TE Selection Processes

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The Clubhouse Newsletter: Its Importance and Purpose

Steeples, Tom 1995

The Clubhouse: Someplace I Like To Be. 1-7

Duncan, J. 1995

The Housing Unit: A Member's Perspective.

Walsh, R. 1995

The rehabilitation services of Fountain House.

Beard, J.H. 1978

The Self Study

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The Thrive Programme at Toowoomba Clubhouse: Building Social Connections and Reducing Stigma Experiences for People with a Lived Experience of Mental Illness.

Gola S.M., Burton L.J. -0001

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

Mary Stone, Liam McGlynn, Kiana Pathirana, Noah Brown, Amy Baric, Anna Sifneos, Rachel Mondora, and Anna Dolidze, Department of Psychology, Marist University 2025

Transitional Employment and Psychosocial Rehabilitation

Malamud, T.J. & McCrory, D. 1988

Transitional Employment and Psychosocial Rehabilitation.

Malamud, T. J. & McCrory, D. 1988

Transitional Employment: International Struggles and Successes

Bergendahl, Britt 1995

Trials and Triumphs of the Early Days of our Clubhouse

Hobbs, A. 1999

Virtual Clubhouse: Creating a Hybrid Clubhouse Combining Virtual and Onsite Opportunities

Academy at Glangary (Florida, USA) 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Direct Mail Campaign Tips

infogroup 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Evolving to reach more members

Mosaic Clubhouse (London, UK) 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Fountain House Telephonic Infrastructure

Fountain House 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Growing Stronger Together

Genesis Club, Worcester Massachusetts 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: How Are We Doing? Clubhouses Gathering Data with two Worldwide Surveys during Pandemic

Lori D’Angelo (Magnolia Clubhouse), Lee Kellogg (Clubhouse International), Francesca Pernice (Wayne State University), Kevin Rice (Fountain House), Guido Valentini (Club Itaca Roma) 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: International Funding Opportunities

Clubhouse International 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Race & Social Justice

Fountain House 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Race & Social Justice Presentation #1

Fountain House 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Race & Social Justice Presentation #2

Clubhouse New York 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Staying Socially Connected While Physically Distancing

Elliott Madison, Gytis Simaitis, Fountain House 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Strengthening Education Programs at Fontenehuset Rygge

Fontenehuset Rygge 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Strengthening Education Programs at Magnolia House

Magnolia Clubhouse -0001

Virtual Clubhouse: Tips & Strategies for Funding & Fundraising

Clubhouse International 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Unit Meeting White Board (Example 1)

Genesis House, Michigan 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Unit Meeting White Board (Example 2)

Genesis Club, Worcester Massachusetts 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Update on service provision of psychosocial services during COVID-19

Phoenix Clubhouse, Hong Kong, SAR, PRC 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Virtual Clubhouse Newsletter

Genesis House Michigan 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Virtual Social Activities at Alliance House

Alliance House, Utah (USA) 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Virtual Social Programming at Putnam Clubhouse

Putnam Clubhouse, Concord California (USA) 2020

Virtual Clubhouse: Work-Ordered Week

Independence Center, Missouri (USA) 2020

What does competitive employment mean?A secondary analysis of employment approaches in the Massachusetts Employment Intervention Demonstration Project.

Johnsen, Matthew, McKay, Colleen, Henry, Alexis, and Manning Thomas D. 2004

When Heros Rise

Andy Wilson, Director of The Carriage House 2020

Work, Recovery, Growth. 1-5

Tribble, M.E. 1995

About the Program for Clubhouse Research

The Program for Clubhouse Research (PCR) was created in January 2000
through an affiliation between the Department of Psychiatry at the
University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) and Clubhouse International. Its purpose is to develop and support an international
research agenda and to increase the quality and quantity of research on
the Clubhouse Model of Psychiatric Rehabilitation.

The PCR administers an annual Clubhouse Profile Questionnaire to gather
the latest data on developments in local Clubhouses, producing an
extensive annual report capturing key demographics and trends. It also
acts as a clearinghouse for Clubhouse research with the capacity to provide
effective communication, dissemination of information and assistance to
Clubhouses and researchers considering participation in Clubhouse
research projects.

For additional information, click here to visit the PCR’s web page.

Questions regarding the Program for Clubhouse Research:  contact Colleen McKay, Director at colleen.mckay@umassmed.edu 

Questions about other university and research affiliations: contact Lee Kellogg at  lkellogg@clubhouse-intl.org

See the Model in Action

Clubhouses are a powerful demonstration that people with mental illness can and do lead productive, fulfilling lives.