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Diagnosed with mental illnesses, Goshen man finds purpose at Elkhart County Clubhouse

Truth, The (Elkhart County, IN) - 3/6/2015

March 06--GOSHEN -- After 18 months of living out of a van on the West Coast, 26-year-old Goshen native Kami Barhydt was desperate to slow his steady descent.

Affected by depression and generalized anxiety, the Fairfield High School graduate is counted among the nearly one in five Americans living with mental illness.

There is no one profile, no singular method for identifying the conditions that range in their potential to disrupt the lives of the afflicted. Mental illness does not discriminate when choosing its host. A person's ability to maintain relationships and employment can crumble beneath its burden.

"My depression got in the way of my job. It threw me for a loop," Barhydt said. "I was fired and didn't even know I was fired."

At the urging of a friend, Barhydt bundled up his belongings and returned home to Goshen, where he was introduced to the Elkhart County Clubhouse and director Rich Meyer.

Barhydt credits finding friends and a fulfilling occupation to his membership within the local organization.

THE CLUBHOUSE

Call it a space for development; a haven; a mansion in which to meet like minds.

Or simply, the Clubhouse.

The Elkhart County Clubhouse, 115 S. Fifth St. in Goshen, is a nonprofit work community and gathering place serving the social, personal and vocational needs of more than 140 members. The Elkhart County chapter of Clubhouse International opened in May 2012 and extends membership to any adult over the age of 18 who is clinically diagnosed with a mental illness.

Aiming to foster productivity, self-confidence and friendship in and among its members, the Clubhouse assists in job placement and housing guidance, as well as providing educational and advocacy opportunities.

"I thought, 'A place to hang at and be safe; how does that actually help anything?'" Barhydt said. "It's actually incredible how much it does help."

The erratic nature of mental illness can impair a person's capacity for consistent daily function, often without warning. Such an obstacle is targeted by the Clubhouse through its tiered job placement program.

SUCCESS IN SCREEN PRINTING

Barhydt was included in the transitional job category of the Clubhouse system and soon began work at Goshen's Springer Design, a screen printing and embroidery shop.

Clubhouse members within the transitional program are trained by Meyer and other staff in the duties of each position before they begin work. By this logic, Meyer, staff and other interested members are capable of performing the same tasks required of each transitional employee.

"As a community, it's necessary to get behind people with mental illnesses, because I think it's a big thing that no one talks about in this country," said Tyler Springer, owner of Springer Design. "It's kind of swept under the rug. A lot of people deal with stuff like that, and it's not like an illness that you see on the outside."

The incentive for businesses willing to align with the Clubhouse comes in the form of a zero-absence guarantee and no re-training costs. There are always at least two other Clubhouse staff members able to fill in for a missed transitional shift.

For members, securing a job can be the needed nudge toward maintaining responsibilities and developing professional purpose.

"I would not be where I am in my life right now without the Clubhouse," said member Steve Ghrist, also a transitional employee, who works full time alongside Barhydt at Springer Design.

The two Clubhouse members essentially run all back-end operations at the print shop.

"Not only did they help me find a job, but sometimes my anxieties and everything get really bad and having to call off work because of it just adds to the anxiety," Ghrist said. "Knowing that I can call the Clubhouse and say, 'You know, I'm just freaking out today,' they can send someone over to do my job so I don't fired. That right there is just such a relief. It's amazing."

If members need assistance getting to work, a Clubhouse vehicle is available. The same goes for moving furniture and belongings to any new home. Even visits to fellow members' workplaces just to say "hello" and offer encouragement are covered through vehicle sharing.

A REFUGE AND RESOURCE

The Elkhart County chapter of Clubhouse International is one of over 300 across 28 countries, the first of which opened in 1948. Built in 1890, the Dale-Zook mansion features 13 rooms, each with its own function to serve the varying interests and activities of members.

The Clubhouse recently acquired two computers, Adobe Creative Suite software and a green screen that blankets an entire wall of a second-floor room. The hope is for members to film and produce a web series, updating viewers on news of the organization and providing a creative outlet for those who wish to explore personal audio and visual projects.

A clothing room at the rear of the Clubhouse contains racks of professional, business-casual and rugged threads that members can borrow and return at their convenience. Loafers, tennis shoes and work boots line the floor beneath the racks. The room is particularly helpful for members preparing for job interviews or new occupational placement.

Similarly, the shelves of the adjacent room are stuffed with hardback books and board games. The library levies no late fees and like any other is regarded as a quiet sanctuary. Members can retreat within its walls for mediation sessions in the event of a disagreement or for a reflective pause, away from the energy of the first floor.

From guiding tours of the facility to taking out the trash, Clubhouse duties are delegated and agreed upon by members during morning meetings.

Each day, the Clubhouse offers a different lunch prepared by staff member Becca Yoder and Clubhouse members working side-by-side in the kitchen. A meal of hand-cut noodles in chicken Alfredo sauce and a kidney bean burger costs only $2. Free lunch is offered when a member receives a job offer, as well as on a member's first day, birthday and membership anniversary.

FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN

While Clubhouse members have a plan for each room, the 125-year-old structure's state of disrepair requires immediate attention.

The Clubhouse started a $350,000 fundraising campaign for the purchase and renovation of the building. Meyer hopes to first pay off the mortgage and replace the roof, then overhaul the kitchen.

So far, the roof replacement will be partially funded by a matching grant from the National Park Service'sHistoric Preservation Fund. The Clubhouse also received $20,000 from the Elkhart County Community Foundation. The organization is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit; donations can be made through its website or by check.

Meyer emphasized the unique situation of the Clubhouse, in that it doesn't require volunteers. The tasks accomplished by staff and members working together is a cornerstone of the Clubhouse model. The director does invite the public to walk through the sturdy double doors of the Dale-Zook mansion, believing a personal visit to be the best way of understanding the organization's mission.

For members, the activities below the water-damaged attic of the mansion make for a community of inclusion and progress.

"It's some place to go where I'm with people who also have problems, so I don't feel singled out and actually feel part of a group," Ghrist said. "If anybody needs to talk to someone, anybody there is available.

"I would recommend it to anybody."

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(c)2015 The Elkhart Truth (Elkhart, Ind).

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