The Tri-County Scholars Program: Bridging the Clubhouse and Community College

• Published in: American journal of psychiatric rehabilitation Vol. 7; no. 3; pp. 281 - 300
• Main Authors: Weiss, Joel, Maddox, Diana, Vanderwaerden, Mieken, Szilvagyi, Steve
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 01-09-2004
• ISSN: 1548-7768; 1548-7776
• DOI: 10.1080/15487760490884676

This article describes how a psychiatric rehabilitation clubhouse program worked with a nearby community college to establish a supported education (SEd) program. The program serves members of the clubhouse through a two-semester curriculum designed to provide a college experience, as well as the skills which would be useful in meeting the demands of college. The program helps individuals redefine themselves in an instrumental role as students, rather than as people with a psychiatric disability who are in a clubhouse program. It provides a realistic approach to building a career-far more than the traditional job skills offered in transitional employment. Several SEd graduates offer observations from their experiences with the program. The authors describe how stakeholders in the community were engaged in the process of putting this program together, and offer some observations about the barriers to such program innovations, as well as suggestions about how these might be overcome. In looking toward the future, the authors suggest changes in their approaches to recruitment and marketing which may work to keep the program viable.