The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Clubhouse Model

by Ben A. and Yaniz S.

 Clubhouse COVID-19 Facts

1. Clubhouses were able to remain operating despite pandemic challenges. Many Clubhouses pivoted to hybrid or virtual programming to maintain an intentional community and provide members with essential supports. Virtual activities included the Work-Ordered Day, reachout, transportation coordination, and social activities
2. Clubhouses expanded the types of communication used to maintain connections with members. Clubhouses increased use of virtual conferencing/meeting tools such as Zoom and WebEx. Some Clubhouses provided members with devices such as tablets, laptops, or mobile phones and increased texting, emailing, and the use of social media sites to help members remain connected.
3. Clubhouses provided a significant amount of reachout using email, telephone calls, social media sites, and virtual conferencing tools. Over 700,000 reach out contacts were made by 149 Clubhouses. Members who were inactive rejoined the Clubhouse. 94 percent of clubhouses had members who were inactive become active during the pandemic.
4. Physically distancing restrictions due to the pandemic affected members in a variety of areas including increased social isolation, decreased mental health or well-being. There were also increases in substance use, suicidality, and hospitalizations. Members had decreased participation in education and employment, particularly Transitional Employment. A lack of transportation was also an issue.

Summary of Article by Clubhouse International and iSPARC from University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School

 
The COVID-19 Pandemic has posed some challenges to the traditional Clubhouse Model. Clubhouses from around the world had to rapidly adjust to using technology to provide virtual or hybrid services as opposed to the traditional face-to-face programming. According to a study by the UMass Chan Medical School on Clubhouse programs, a majority of Clubhouse buildings were closed to regular in person participation by members at some point between 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. The impact of the pandemic on Clubhouse funding varied widely due to the location of the Clubhouse. For example, Clubhouses in the US that have Medicaid as their primary funding source may not have been able to bill for services that were provided virtually until legislation changes approved telehealth service billing. During the pandemic Clubhouses began providing virtual support and services to members including a virtual Work Ordered Day (WOD), meal delivery, medication delivery, transportation coordination, evening, and weekend programming, and other community support services. Clubhouses also expanded their reach out efforts during the pandemic by increasing the number of reach out calls, email and text messages, use of social media outlets to communicate, increased use of FaceTime, Google Duo, Zoom, WebEx, and others. Many Clubhouses even provided members with electronic devices to use during the pandemic to maintain the line of communication with the Clubhouse community open. According to the article by Clubhouse International: “Reach out to members who were not able to physically attend the Clubhouse provided a crucial link enabling people to access the benefits of the Clubhouse participation and helping prevent them from becoming isolated in the larger community during the pandemic.”
Some of the impacts of the pandemic on Clubhouses included a reduction in the average daily attendance and active members, a scaled back support system for Transitional and Supported employment for working members, and members having difficulty with attending the Clubhouse remotely. Some of the negative impacts of the pandemic and the restrictions due to COVID-19 on members included: decreased mental health or wellbeing, increased hospitalizations, increased social isolation, increased substance use, financial reductions or poverty, decreased participation in education and employment, reduced income, loss of housing, lack of transportation, increased suicidality, decreased safety, food insecurity, and other.
Despite the challenges, Clubhouses were able to maintain operations and support members during the COVID-19 pandemic by increasing their modes of communication and meeting the basic needs of members such as food, medication, transportation, and financial assistance. Increased levels of virtual engagement with Clubhouses were also positively correlated with member physical and mental health wellness. Many Clubhouses continue to use some of these strategies as Clubhouses return to in person operations at full capacity such as providing virtual access for people that cannot attend the Clubhouse in person and continuing to provide community support.

 

Article Link (PDF File): https://escholarship.umassmed.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1183&context=pib