Frequently Asked Questions

A Clubhouse, in the context of Clubhouse International, is a local, community-based center that offers a restorative and non-clinical environment for people living with serious mental illness. It is a support system that focuses on the individual's strengths and potential for recovery, rather than their illness or disability. 

Main Phone Number: 808-675-0093

Main Cell Number: 808-679-6428

Director: 808-675-0129

Membership & Media: 808-675-0112

ʽOhana Kitchen: 808-675-0447

Career Development Unit: 808-675-0113

Email: waipahualohaclubhouse1997@gmail.com

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Potential member is encouraged to schedule a tour of our facility. If interested, the Membership & Media Unit will collaborate with support team to complete the referral packet. When the referral application and supplemental documents are submitted, potential member will be invited to the orientation process. 

• A member-driven approach that helps people with serious mental illness regain a sense of purpose and reintegrate into the community through social, vocational, and educational opportunities. It is a community-based, non-residential service that emphasizes a "work-ordered day" where members and staff work side-by-side on essential tasks. This mutual participation builds skills, provides social support, and restores dignity and a sense of being needed.

• Membership, Not Patienthood: Individuals are referred to as "members," not patients, clients, or consumers. Membership is voluntary, without time limits, and offers a sense of belonging and shared ownership of the community.

• The Work-Ordered Day: The core activity is members and staff working side-by-side as colleagues to run all aspects of the Clubhouse's daily operations, such as meal preparation, administration, clerical work, and maintenance. This meaningful work helps rebuild self-worth, purpose, and confidence.

• Meaningful Relationships: The collaborative environment of the work-ordered day naturally fosters long-term relationships and friendships between members and staff, which are considered crucial to the recovery process and ending social isolation.

• Opportunities for Employment and Education: Clubhouses provide comprehensive support for members to return to paid employment in the community (through transitional, supported, and independent employment programs) and access educational resources.

• Access to Support Services: Members receive assistance in accessing essential services such as safe and affordable housing, medical and psychiatric care, crisis intervention, and wellness programs.

• Shared Governance: Members and staff participate in consensus-based decision-making regarding important matters related to the Clubhouse's operation and future direction.

• Reach-Out System: If a member stops attending, the Clubhouse community actively reaches out to remind them they are missed and welcome back, providing an early warning system if they are having difficulties. 

• Clubhouses are not clinical treatment facilities; they are supportive communities that complement medical and therapeutic treatments by helping people reintegrate into society and lead personally satisfying and productive lives.