Bridgeport, CT - In honor of this annual May awareness campaign, Bridge House in Bridgeport is releasing one new video a week to coincide with the national celebration. These four poignant videos highlight success stories from their members who have turned their life around. These videos are available for viewing at http://www.BridgeHouseCT.org.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYtzJF5F1rw
Amanda Sage’s video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgLsUuU6HLc
David Weidenfeller’s video
Bridge House is the only Clubhouse model in Fairfield County and is accredited by Clubhouse International. Since the pandemic, the need for mental health services has increased in our community. Bridge House currently has 200 active members. According to Clubhouse International, 1 in 4 adults will struggle with a mental illness in their lifetime.
Amanda Sage’s video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgLsUuU6HLc
David Weidenfeller’s video
Bridge House is the only Clubhouse model in Fairfield County and is accredited by Clubhouse International. Since the pandemic, the need for mental health services has increased in our community. Bridge House currently has 200 active members. According to Clubhouse International, 1 in 4 adults will struggle with a mental illness in their lifetime.
Open houses are regularly held every Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Visit the Clubhouse located at 880 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport, take a tour and see how Bridge House can support you on your journey to recovery.
"For 37 years, our weekly open houses have welcomed some of the most courageous people I have ever met," said Maureen Cuda, Program Director at Bridge House. "People make a choice to become a member. Each person decides when to attend, what to participate in and has a voice in program decisions."
"Our motto is 'Change minds. Change lives,'" added Bridge House Executive Director Mary Ellen McGuire. "The Clubhouse movement is so unique. The staff and members work side by side and over time the miracle of recovery happens. Every day I hear the gratitude in their voices. Some say we saved their life, others say we gave them a life. I'm just grateful and humble to be a part of their lives."
"Our motto is 'Change minds. Change lives,'" added Bridge House Executive Director Mary Ellen McGuire. "The Clubhouse movement is so unique. The staff and members work side by side and over time the miracle of recovery happens. Every day I hear the gratitude in their voices. Some say we saved their life, others say we gave them a life. I'm just grateful and humble to be a part of their lives."
Bridge House is one of hundreds of Clubhouses worldwide called "psychosocial rehabilitation programs" founded by and for members. Bridge House has been a critical safe haven for over 2,000 adults living with persistent mental illness in the Greater Bridgeport area.
Built on the Clubhouse model of psychosocial rehabilitation, Bridge House fulfills the basic human need of people being wanted, needed, and expected. Members come voluntarily to work side-by-side with the staff to: develop job readiness skills, regain confidence; improve their health, establish connections, and find purpose. By providing a supportive community focused on education, employment, advocacy and housing, members are better equipped to manage their illness and become the center of their own recovery.The Clubhouse model, pioneered in 1948 by Fountain House in Manhattan, is uniquely positioned to engage people living with serious mental illness, inspire recovery and improve their quality of life. The Clubhouse model of community mental health has been replicated over 320 times worldwide.
Bridge House is funded by the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) and private donations.
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