Yahara House's (YH) mission is to transform the lives of people living with mental illness by replacing despair, stigma, and isolation with hope, dignity, and community. YH is a community of members who are working together to achieve some common goals, including:  

1) completing educational and employment goals.  

2) developing self-esteem, confidence, and coping strategies.  

3) finding and securing resources - such as affordable housing, primary care services; and  

4) living a life of respect and independence within the members’ larger community.  

YH is an evidence-based, community mental health program that focuses on recovery through social connection, meaningful activity, and reintroduction to community employment. Open and accessible to program participants (members) 40 hours a week PLUS all holidays, evening, and weekend social activities. YH offers a place for adults with mental illness to belong in a stigma-free environment. The program guarantees each person a right to a place to come, a right to meaningful work, a right to meaningful relationships, and a right to a place to return.

Much more than simply a program or a social service, Yahara House offers: 

Meaningful Work and Community- Members and staff work together as colleagues to run Yahara House. Yahara House has three departments (Biz, Membership & Communications, and Café) and various committees to work in anytime between 8:30-4:30 Monday-Friday. Members and staff work together as colleagues to help deal with day-to-day issues, like filling out forms, cooking, making videos, creating greeting cards, operating the reception desk, and paying bills. Collaborative task work gives members a sense of accomplishment, purpose, confidence, and social skills increase as they feel a sense of belonging and develop supportive relationships.

Employment Program Continuum- As a right of membership Yahara House provides members with opportunities to engage in or return to paid employment in integrated work settings through Transitional Employment, Supported Employment, and Independent Employment programs. Employment is a foundational part of the Clubhouse approach because it is an expressed goal of many members at every Clubhouse. Employment is often a critical component for members to experience themselves as being included in the larger community while also reducing isolation and poverty.