Perspectives on the Standards

We really appreciate this Standard because it helps create an egalitarian community. At the clubhouse we are all generalists and we do not believe in a hierarchy of worth, so we have no need for the "Staff Only" offices and "Physician Only" dining rooms that are a feature of other mental health programs. "Staff Only" spaces create mistrust and suspicion between staff and their "clients" or "consumers". No respectful name can hide the fact that in these settings, staff do not trust us enough to know what they say about us, and do not want us to participate in making decisions that deeply affect our lives. The clubhouse movement believes that to preserve self-respect, every member and staff person needs to be able to have a say in all the decisions of the clubhouse, and that is impossible to do when the "Staff Room" door is locked.

When someone needs to discuss a personal matter, we close the door, because we respect people’s need for privacy. But in most instances, the openness of our space enables our relationships to be open.