Hero House

MISSION: TO CHAMPION BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RECOVERY BY FACILITATING CLUBHOUSE EXPANSION THROUGHOUT THE PUGET SOUND REGION. VISION: WE ENVISION A WORLD WHERE PEOPLE LIVING WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESS THRIVE IN COMMUNITIES OF HOPE AND OPPORTUNITY.

CLUBHOUSE PHILOSOPHY IS BASED ON THE WORK-ORDERED DAY, FUNCTIONING AS A BUSINESS WHERE MEMBERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO DEVELOP AND STRENGTHEN THEIR TALENTS AND ABILITIES WHILE ACCOMPLISHING THE CLUBHOUSE WORK. NO CLUBHOUSE COULD FUNCTION WITHOUT THE HOSPITALITY UNIT (FOOD SERVICE UNIT). IN THE MORNING THE MAIN FOCUS IS ON PREPARING NUTRITIOUS MEALS FOR EVERYONE IN THE CLUBHOUSE. AT LUNCHTIME THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MEMBERS TO GET INVOLVED IN SERVING THE FOOD AND IN CLEANING UP. THE HOSPITALITY UNIT ALSO INCLUDES OPERATION/MANAGEMENT OF THE SNACK BAR, BANK, EMPLOYMENT AND SOCIAL PROGRAM. THE FOLLOWING TASKS ARE PART OF THIS UNIT: COOKING/BAKING,MENU PLANNING, GROCERY SHOPPING, PREPARING MEALS, TAKING ORDERS FOR LUNCH AND WAITING ON TABLES, CLEANING/DISHWASHING, ORGANIZING/RESTOCKING THE SNACK BAR, KEEPING TRACK OF INVENTORY, DEPOSITING REVENUE, OPERATING THE CASH REGISTER, AND PRIMARY EVENT COORDINATION FOR SPECIAL EVENTS. THE HOSPITALITY UNIT ALSO OPERATES THE SNACK BAR AND THE MEMBER BANK. THE FOOD SERVICE UNIT IS IN CHARGE OF THE "DINE WITH A HERO" PROGRAM. IN THIS PROGRAM, WE INVITE KEY COMMUNITY LEADERS, SUPPORTERS, AND STAKEHOLDERS TO OUR CLUBHOUSE FOR A TOUR, A MEAL, AND SHORT PRESENTATION.THE BUSINESS UNIT IN A CLUBHOUSE IS ALWAYS VERY BUSY AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL THE GENERAL ADMINISTRATIVE AND CLERICAL TASKS OF THE CLUBHOUSE. TASKS INCLUDE: 1. STATISTICS FOR WASHINGTON STATE CLUBHOUSE COALITION AND MEDICAID 2. BASIC COMPUTING INCLUDING DATABASE INPUT, SPREADSHEETS 3. MANAGES THE IT NEEDS OF THE CLUBHOUSE INCLUDING: E-MAIL ACCESS, SERVER, PRINTERS, COPIER, ETC. 4. ENROLLMENT OF NEW MEMBERS 5. PRODUCTION OF HERO HOUSE HERALD NEWSLETTER 6. RECEPTION 7. CREATING AND MAINTAINING NEW DOCUMENTS 8. COPYING, FILING AND COLLATING 9. MAINTENANCE OF THE UNIT (INCLUDING LIBRARY, MEDIA CENTER, BUSINESS UNIT AND BATHROOMS) 10. MANAGES EVENT ANNOUNCEMENTS, WEEKLY CARDS, BIRTHDAY AND CELEBRATION CARDS, AND CLUBHOUSE MAILINGS VISITS IN THE WORK-ORDERED DAY PROGRAM TOTALED 7,072 VISITS.

EMPLOYMENT & EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM: THE HERO HOUSE CAREER DEVELOPMENT CENTER IS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING OUR MEMBERS' EDUCATIONAL AND EMPLOYMENT GOALS, FROM LEARNING TO READ TO FINDING EMPLOYMENT. WITH TODAY'S JOBS REQUIRING SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND SKILLS, THE CONNECTION BETWEEN HAVING A SOLID EDUCATION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY CRUCIAL. HERO HOUSE HAS A GOOD TRACK RECORD OF INITIATING AND DEVELOPING TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT (TE). WE HAVE WORKED WITH LOCAL COMPANIES TO PLACE MEMBERS ON TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT JOBS AT THEIR PLACE OF BUSINESS SINCE 2005. THROUGH THE TE PROGRAM, MANAGED BY MEMBERS AND STAFF TOGETHER, MEMBERS ARE PLACED IN PAID, ENTRY-LEVEL POSITIONS IN TWO SENSES: THEY LET MEMBERS EASE INTO THE WORLD OF WORK WITH A DIRECT CONNECTION TO THE JOB, AS WELL AS ON THE JOB TRAINING AND JOB SITE VISITS FROM HERO HOUSE PLACEMENT MANAGERS. TYPICALLY, EACH PLACEMENT LASTS BETWEEN SIX AND NINE MONTHS. THE MEMBER MAY THEN MOVE ON TO OTHER PLACEMENTS UNTIL THEY ARE READY FOR A LESS SUPPORTED JOB. SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT (SE) COMBINES ASPECTS OF BOTH TRANSITIONAL EMPLOYMENT AND INDEPENDENT EMPLOYMENT. IT IS DESIGNED TO EASE MEMBERS INTEGRATION INTO LONG-TERM JOBS. WHILE PROVIDING A DIRECT REFERRAL FROM THE CLUBHOUSE TO THE EMPLOYER, AS WELL AS SOME INITIAL ON-JOB-TRAINING AND ASSISTANCE WHERE IT MAY BE NEEDED, SE IS DESIGNED TO OFFER ONGOING HERO HOUSE SUPPORT TO MEMBERS WHO ARE SEEKING OR HAVE MOVED INTO MORE PERMANENT EMPLOYMENT. THIS INCLUDES A FULL JOB SEARCH, ASSISTANCE WITH APPLICATION FORMS, RESUMES, COVER LETTERS, MOCK INTERVIEWS, AS WELL AS ACCESSING ITEMS NEEDED FOR INTERVIEWS, SUCH AS CLOTHING. ONCE COMFORTABLY ON THE JOB, MEMBERS ARE KEPT IN TOUCH WITH THROUGH EMPLOYMENT PHONE REACH OUT, MONTHLY DINNERS AND OTHER SUPPORTS AS NEEDED. IT ALSO PROVIDES SUPPORT TO THE COMPANY THAT MAY INITIALLY BE UNSURE ABOUT HIRING A MEMBER FOR A REGULAR JOB. MEMBERS WITH PRIOR WORK EXPERIENCE, AND/OR JOB RELATED EDUCATION, SKILLS AND ABILITIES AS WELL AS THOSE WHO THROUGH TE COMPLETE A NUMBER OF PLACEMENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SEEK THEIR OWN JOB. HERO HOUSE'S EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT HELPS THEM PREPARE RESUMES, COACHES THEM IN JOB SEARCH AND INTERVIEW TECHNIQUES. UNLIKE TE AND SE, MEMBERS GO ON COMPETITIVE INTERVIEWS TO GET JOBS GAINING INDEPENDENT EMPLOYMENT (IE). WHILE MEMBERS ARE WORKING, THEY CAN CONTINUE TO CALL ON HERO HOUSE FOR SUPPORT BY PHONE AND THROUGH A UNIT AVAILABLE TO WORKING MEMBERS WEEKDAY EVENINGS AND SUNDAY AFTERNOONS. JOB CLUB IS HELD EACH WEEK TO ASSIST MEMBERS WITH BECOMING JOB READY. IN JOB CLUB MEMBERS TAKE AN ACTIVE ROLE TOWARD MOVING BACK INTO THE WORKING COMMUNITY. JOB CLUB HELPS MEMBERS WITH WRITING RESUME'S, PREPARING COVER LETTERS, SEARCHING FOR JOBS, INTERVIEW PREPARATION, AND OVERALL JOB READINESS. HERO HOUSE SUPPORTS MEMBERS WITH BASIC COURSES, GEARED TOWARD SUPPORTING GED ACHIEVEMENT, IN READING, WRITING, MATH, AND COMPUTERS TAUGHT BY HERO HOUSE MEMBERS WITH SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE.

SOCIAL & RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE AFTER THE WORK-ORDERED DAY WHICH LESSEN THE ISOLATION OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND AID IN THE PERSONS RECOVERY. VARIOUS OUTINGS HAVE INCLUDED MARINERS GAMES, BOWLING, PICNICS, CINEMA, THEATRE, MUSEUMS, ARTS & CRAFTS, GAME NIGHTS, DANCES AND CAMPOUTS TO NAME JUST A FEW. ALL ARE OFFERED FREE OF CHARGE OR AT REDUCED PRICING. PARTICIPANTS IN THE SOCIAL & RECREATIONAL PROGRAMS TOTALED 807 VISITS.