Building community in Bonner and Boundary counties

By Soncirey Mitchell
Reader Staff

The National Alliance on Mental Illness Far North branch will host a fundraiser and info session on Thursday, Feb. 29 for the Sand Creek Clubhouse — an upcoming project that will help reintegrate people living with serious mental illness into the community. Though people around the world have benefited from the Clubhouse International’s model for the past 30 years, the SCC will be Idaho’s first accredited branch.

According to NAMI, national statistics reveal that one in 20 people live with serious mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, major depression or schizophrenia. Those fortunate enough to receive proper care often require additional time and space to heal — the SCC is intended to provide both. 

By following Clubhouse International’s 37 standards of care, NAMI plans to build a welcoming environment in which participants can engage with the rest of the community, build relationships, educate themselves and find fulfillment through work.

“Clubhouse has inclusion and no hierarchy — members work side by side with staff and are involved in all Clubhouse decision making. This rebuilds confidence, which is important for reintegration,” NAMI Far North President Dawn Mehra told the Reader in an email. “With approximately 3,500 people in Bonner and Boundary counties potentially affected by SMI [serious mental illness], there’s a significant opportunity to make a positive impact.”

People living with SMI account for 26% of the unhouse population and 24% of those incarcerated, yet existing Clubhouses have demonstrated reduced hospitalization and incarceration rates, as well as a 42% employment rate among members, according to Mehra.

“Serious mental illness can push people to the margins of society, as they live invisible and often lonely lives, excluded from friendships, education, employment and community. The resulting poverty, homelessness, addiction, incarceration and ‘revolving door’ hospitalization are both visible and costly,” stated NAMI Far North in a recent funding request.

Any adult with a history of serious mental illness can become a lifetime member of SCC, free of charge, and will build skills and confidence while gaining access to NAMI’s partners — including housing, employment and educational support agencies, psychiatric care and insurance and benefits advisors.

“Members plan and cook nutritious meals and can lead exercise programs — pilates, yoga, weight training — or invite volunteer trainers to guide classes in meditation, for example, or to lead art or music therapy programs,” the organization stated in the funding request. 

SCC’s program, dubbed the “work ordered day,” gives members opportunities for hands-on learning in units focused on employment, holistic health, advocacy and education. The Clubhouse will remain open five days a week and provide low-cost meals and free social activities in the evening and on weekends and holidays.

“Unfortunately, North Idaho suffers from a significant absence of community-based outreach facilities, exacerbating the struggle for recovery,” Mehra wrote to the Reader. “It’s evident that a combination of factors including stigma, discrimination and insufficient mental illness education contribute to the scarcity of post-hospitalization resources in our region.”

Visit the Heartwood Center (615 Oak St., in Sandpoint) on Thursday, Feb. 29 from 6-7:30 p.m. to enjoy free refreshments, learn more about the Clubhouse and help NAMI Far North raise the $170,000 needed to make SCC a reality. 

Reserve a spot by Friday, Feb. 23 at namifarnorth.org. For more information, call 208-597-2047 or email [email protected].

“Mental illness is a medical problem, it’s no one’s fault,” Mehra wrote. “Recovery happens when the gaps in health care are filled, and everyone deserves a chance to recover from serious mental illness.”