AOP Clubhouse to Provide Community-Based Mental Health Program
Greg Wilson/Anderson Observer
Few seem to argue that mental health has become a national health crisis, one that can be witnessed locally in a recent report by the Anderson County Coroner’s Office which found that suicides are up 92 percent this year in the county.
But local organizers have been working for the past several years with Clubhouse International to help meet some of the challenges for individuals struggling with mental health issues and officially announced the effort on Thursday at Pendleton Methodist Church.
AOP Clubhouse, in conjunction with Clubhouse International, will launch their work next summer providing a safe place to improve recovery outcomes with serious mental health issues with the creation of a community-centered “Clubhouse” in Pendleton which will serve Anderson, Oconee and Pickens counties. The initial site for the program will be the Pendleton Community Center, though the hope is to eventually purchase a building of their own.
The effort is part of the mission of the global nonprofit which after six decades of research and practice currently operates Clubhouses in more than 370 locations worldwide supporting the idea that recovery is best achieved through purposeful connection, meaningful work, and social belonging.
Casey Edmonds, Officer of Expansion for Clubhouse International’s new South Carolina project and Executive Director of Clubhouse South Carolina, addressed community leaders to spotlight the transformative impact of the Clubhouse model on mental health recovery. Edmonds highlighted the honor of representing both the international nonprofit and the local chapter, emphasizing the unique role their upcoming AOP Clubhouse will play in the region.
“Clubhouse International stands as the sole global nonprofit dedicated to expanding mental health recovery opportunities through the evidence-based Clubhouse model of psychosocial rehabilitation,” said Edmonds. “This model integrates with community health systems worldwide, focusing not only on psychiatric recovery from serious and persistent mental illness but also addressing critical social and economic determinants. The approach fosters a supportive community where members work alongside staff to rebuild skills and secure stable employment, housing, education, and wellness resources.”
The United Way of Anderson County has been a partner in bringing a Clubhouse to the area since the idea arose, to join the global network proven to reduce isolation, stigma, substance abuse, hospitalizations, suicide risk, and psychiatric symptoms.
“Our accredited clubhouses help increase member self-efficacy, employment, social function, and overall quality of life — and most importantly, hope,” Edmonds said.
Citing recent data from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Edmonds painted a stark picture of mental health needs across South Carolina, where approximately 902,000 adults experience mental illness, including 216,000 with serious conditions such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. If fully engaged in the Clubhouse program, these individuals represent a potential cost savings to the state ranging from $7.1 billion to $8.1 billion annually in healthcare, criminal justice, and lost wages.
Edmonds concluded with a poignant reminder of urgency: “If you remember nothing else today, remember the time — 9:21 a.m. Since 6 a.m., nearly 20 lives have been lost to suicide in the U.S. This is why the AOP Clubhouse matters right now in your community.”
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