MA CLUBHOUSE COALITION

Employers Honored on Capitol Hill for Mental Health Leadership

John Peacock, Executive Director of the Waltham West Suburban Chamber of Commerce, was honored at the Capitol in Washington, DC on Tuesday, March 24, 2009, for his leadership in promoting the hiring of adults who have psychiatric disabilities with the support of inclusion and resiliency centers called Clubhouses. Mr. Peacock is a member of the National Employer Advisory Board, providing leadership for a U.S. wide effort to expand employment opportunities for adults who are recovering from the effects of mental illness. The National Employment Expansion Project has engaged the leadership of 74 employers in twenty-five states, in an effort to expand employment opportunities for people who are recovering from the illness. Twenty-one of the corporate and non-profit leaders were presented with awards in DC and the additional companies will receive their awards in the states where their companies do business.

The Employment Celebration was organized by the Massachusetts Clubhouse Coalition, a non-profit education, technical assistance and advocacy organization, whose membership includes over 15,000 MA residents who have a psychiatric disability plus paid staff. The Clubhouse recovery centers help their members return to work by first engaging them in the activities of running the Clubhouse centers where members and paid staff work together as colleagues in the operations of the centers. Clubhouses help adults who have psychiatric disabilities gain employment, housing, supportive relationships and services aimed at helping participants, referred to as "members", live full lives in the community.

Congressman Frank, Chairman of the House Finance Committee, presented Mr. Peacock with the award in D.C. and praised all of the employers for their leadership in promoting the hiring of people who have mental illness. The companies awarded are employing Clubhouse members, which in Massachusetts are funded by the Department of Mental Health, and nationally are funded with a combination of state tax dollars, Medicaid dollars and private donations. In addition to being exemplary employers, each honoree wrote a reference letter encouraging their colleagues to follow their example.

Congressman Barney Frank, Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services, commended all of the companies for stepping up to the plate and helping our fellow citizens to achieve their dreams and contribute to society. "You do not win in a competitive world economically if you exclude a certain percentage of participants who are ready, willing and able to work. We need the effort that every single individual can put forward - and to the employers who recognize that, I am very grateful."

More than 160 corporate and non-profit employers, legislators, Clubhouse members, staff, family members and allies attended the event to celebrate the employment success of those who have mental illness while recognizing the employers that made this success possible.

In addition to the Waltham West Suburban Chamber of Commerce, the companies that received awards on the 24th included: Appilistic, Chartwells at Salem State, Newton Community Development Foundation, Newton Free Library, Qunisigamond Community College, ServiceMaster Clean Canton Division, Stop & Shop, Town of Braintree Recycling Division, TJX Companies Stores, University of Massachusetts Medical School, of Massachusetts, Zip Mail, Missouri, Aquarion Water Company, CVS/Pharmacy, Stamford Marriott in Connecticut, Kauai Marriott, Hawaii, Iowa Finance Authority, Botanica, Wichita Gardens, Kansas, Dow Jones and Resources: Publicis, New York City, Washington Duke Inn and Golf Club, North Carolina, Reliable Copy Services, Pennsylvania, ARAMARK: Higher Education, South Carolina, Fulbright & Jaworski, LLP Attorneys at Law, Texas.