MEMBER HANDBOOK. Chelton Loft Clubhouse 119 West 19th Street New York, NY General Inquiries (212)

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1 MEMBER HANDBOOK Chelton Loft Clubhouse 119 West 19th Street New York, NY General Inquiries (212)

2 Chelton Loft A supportive clubhouse for people with histories of mental illness Chelton Loft is a voluntary clubhouse for people with histories of serious mental illness with or without co-occurring disorders. Founded in 1994, the Loft now has 110 active members, half of whom were once homeless and virtually all of whom have histories of repeat hospitalizations. Any New York City resident 18 years or older that has been diagnosed with a mental illness is eligible to become a member of Chelton Loft free of charge. A Productive Member-Oriented Environment At Chelton Loft, members and staff work together to create an environment that supports individual growth and development. Members can participate in the Unit of their choice: 1. The Administrative Unit: Members participate in clerical and computer duties such as taking attendance, reception, and preparing the monthly newsletter, the Chelton Gazette. There are four subunits of the Administrative Unit: Employment Unit: Assist and participate with other members in achieving job readiness, doing computerized job searches, and working on Employment Placements. Housing: Assist other members of the Housing Committee in obtaining subsidized housing for members. Member Services: Assist with weekly phone outreach to Loft members as well as community outreach at agencies to present our program and attract new members. Education: Mentor a member who is interested in pursuing educational goals by tutoring or contacting a college to obtain further information on specific programs and services (for example: Office for Students with Disabilities at a local college). 2. Café Unit: Assist members with planning meals, shopping, preparing and cooking meals, cleaning up, preparing for parties, and serving meals. Members also have access to computers complete with high-speed Internet access that can be used for employment goals during work ordered day hours (9:00 am-4:00 pm) and for personal use after 4:00pm. The Loft is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, except on Tuesdays when opened during evening hours until 7:30pm, and 10 a.m. till 2 p.m. on Saturday. Meals are served throughout the week at various prices: daily breakfast and snack $0.50, except Fridays when breakfast is $1.00, daily lunch and Tuesday supper $1.00 and Saturday brunch which is free of charge. Case management services are available to link members with community services as well as benefits and entitlements. Through its congenial atmosphere, activities and support services, the Loft successfully engages people with serious mental illnesses, and helps them to remain stable, functioning members of the community. If you are interested in learning more about the Loft, call us at (212) for general information. Those wishing to join our membership must contact (212) to schedule a mandatory appointment with our membership unit. We are located near the 14 th street stop on the 1,2,3,A,C,E,F,L,F subways. Please call to schedule a tour/intake soon! 2

3 Chelton Loft Policies 1. Members need to attend the Loft a minimum of two days per week in order to remain active on the roster. 2. Abusive behavior toward staff or members will NOT be tolerated and individuals risk being asked to leave the premise depending on severity of the situation. An Incident review Committee will be held if necessary to determine follow up actions. 3. We hold to strict hygiene standards: if any individual expresses offensive odors or poor maintenance of personal hygiene, they will be asked to leave and return once the situation has been resolved according to an acceptable standard. 4. Members displaying co-occurring symptoms will be subjected to COD policies (see post at reception desk). 5. New Clubhouse members are required to attend orientation sessions that fall twice every month. 6. Policy/House meetings are held on Tuesdays at 2:30 p.m.; all members are encouraged to participate. 7. Members are encouraged to participate along with staff in the cleaning and maintenance of the Loft. 8. Musical instruments, TV, videos, extended personal use of computers and all other recreational activities are ONLY allowed after 4:00 pm daily and all day on Saturday. 9. Please do not take food or drinks from the kitchen without permission from the café unit staff. 10. Computer use for the Loft takes precedence over personal use. 11. If you need assistance with the computers or the printer, please ask for help. 12. Faxes must be in local range and for business use only. If you need assistance, please see the staff. 13. Phones in the Loft are shared by both staff and members, and must be relegated to a 10 minute period. 14. We have no access to long distance, out of state phone calls. 15. Locks for lockers will be provided during program hours only and we do not have responsibility of any lost or stolen items after these hours. Only staff have keys to these locks, please ask when needed. Chelton Loft Hours of Operation Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Tuesday 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Selective Holidays 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Sunday Closed 3

4 Chelton Loft Grievance Policy If a member has a grievance which cannot be resolved in the policy meeting, the member should use the following procedure: 1. The member should meet with his or her primary worker and inform the worker of the grievance. The worker and member will attempt to find a solution to the grievance. 2. If the member is not satisfied with the results of Step 1, or the problem involves the member s primary worker, the member should contact the Program Manager. The Program Manager will make every effort to resolve the grievances in a timely manner. 3. The member may contact Laura Siegel, Assistant Executive Director of Fedcap Rehabilitation Services at if not satisfied with the Program Manager s response. 4. If the member has not found a satisfactory resolution to the above process, the member may wish to contact: Office of Mental Health New York City Field Office 330 Fifth Avenue--9 th Floor New York, NY (212) OR New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs 161 Delaware Avenue Delmar, New York (518)

5 Chelton Loft Personal Care and Dress Code Dress code policy: The Chelton Loft clubhouse s doors are open to individuals in recovery from various criminal and non criminal backgrounds, where some may have fallen victim to crimes related to unsolicited sexual activity. We would like to safeguard all individuals and make sure people feel welcomed and comfortable at the clubhouse, thus we will ask anyone sporting revealing clothing to leave the clubhouse and only return once wearing more suitable attire. Acceptable: Jeans, khakis, corduroy slacks T-shirts, dress shirts, sweaters, blouses Shorts to and below the knee Shoes, sneakers, sandals Loose, but not baggy clothing Not Acceptable: No torn jeans No low cut shirts No shorts above the knee No tank tops No overly tight or overly baggy clothing Hygiene policy of Chelton Loft: Hygiene is more than just being clean. It is defined as the many practices that help people be and stay healthy. Practicing good personal hygiene is good for two reasons. First it helps prevent people from catching and spreading illness and disease. Second it helps people feel good about themselves and their bodies. In American society cleanliness is an important issue; poor hygiene is seen as unacceptable. Good hygiene includes thoroughly and regularly washing one s body (especially hands), washing one s hair, brushing and flossing teeth, and caring for gums. These grooming habits will reduce the threat of bacteria that constantly reside on the body. While certain amounts of bacteria are harmless, and even beneficial, to the body, a build up can harm a person s health. We ask that you be considerate of your fellow members and practice good personal hygiene. Please be aware that if your hygiene is offending others you will be asked to remove yourself from Chelton Loft to freshen up. 5

6 Chelton Loft Co-Occurring Disorder Policies Chelton Loft has established Co-occurring disorder policies that will be enforced when dealing with members who are exhibiting active chemically induced symptoms in the clubhouse. In a communal meeting, a group of staff and members all agreed that dealing with these incidents would be based on the circumstances and the safety risk of the situation presenting itself- NOT THE PERSON IN QUESTION. We decided that ultimately everyone would be held accountable for their actions and we would follow a step by step process in regards to their attendance and presence during/following the incident. These steps are the following: 1) Member will be asked into the admin office to explain their behavior or the situation that has been presented. They will be questioned on the background circumstances prior to coming into the clubhouse that may have provoked such displayed behavior. Following this discussion, the member will be asked to leave the clubhouse for the day, only to return under sober circumstances and a phone call will be made to their referral contact, notifying them of such behaviors and actions. A free pass in terms of documentation will be granted; given this is the individual s first incident of such nature. 2) If the same member comes into the program intoxicated again, they will be brought into the office, the individual will be asked to leave the clubhouse for the day, an incident report will be documented and all parties including the member s referral contacts will need to come to an agreement on members conduct upon future attendance within the clubhouse. A referral to a substance abuse recovery center will be suggested at this time. 3) If the same member is exhibiting symptoms for the 3 rd time, they will be suspended for a prolonged duration and the previous incident report will be updated to reflect present circumstances. The member will only be able to attend the program with documented proof that these issues are being addressed by a professional (personal therapist, recovery center, AA meetings etc). 4) Exhibited behavior for the 4 th time- member will be asked to leave the clubhouse for a temporary suspension until proper documentation and proof of recovery is submitted. **Please note that all instances are based on the individual situation and the behaviors displayed at that time. We do not encourage suspensions, nor do we wish to alienate any members of our community. At Chelton Loft, we promote a safe environment for all of our members and that includes looking out for one another no matter what difficult circumstances we are dealing with. 6

7 Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services Chelton Loft continuously seeks to hire staff that has language skills other than English through newspaper ads and dissemination of vacancy information. Presently, all Loft members are able to communicate adequately in English. The Program Manager is fluent in English and French; as staff vacancies develop, advertisements will be placed to seek a diversity of applicants with needed language skills. If staff and members are unable to communicate in a common language, Chelton Loft shall provide a trained interpreter in the language spoken by the member. The services of Rennert Bilingual will be used for this purpose. Rennert Bilingual 216 East 45 th Street New York, NY (PH) (FX) study@rennert.com 7

8 Chelton Loft Transitional Employment Program (TEP) What is TEP? Transition Employment Program is a time limited work program that enhances previous skills and /or teaches skills needed to obtain independent work in the future. Transitional Employment work lasts from six to nine months. TEP allows members to gain employment regardless of amount of hospitalization, previous work, level of success or employment history. Workers perform assigned tasks in an encouraging and supportive environment. Am I eligible to become a TEP worker? An individual must be a member of Chelton Loft Clubhouse The individual must have a desire to perform duties with guidance of staff and previous TEP worker Benefits of Transitional Employment: Transitional employment provides a working member with a sense of belonging to a vital and significant community, a community where one can make an important contribution. Work aides in helping individuals accept themselves as valued members of the community. How can I become a member of Chelton Loft? You must be at least 18 years of age and older and have an Axis 1 Psychiatric Diagnosis. A completed clubhouse application will be needed and can be obtained from the Clubhouse membership coordinator. You will also need an updated Psychosocial, Mental Status Exam and a Physical Examination that is no more than 3 months old to program referral date. Frequently Asked Questions What will happen to my SSI and SSD? Transitional Employment is recognized by SSI as a Work Incentive Program. Members do not lose their SSI or SSD benefits. However, depending upon your salary, your SSI Check might be decreased. Staff will provide advocacy and information on entitlements to keep TEP works up to date on issues pertaining to benefits. Chelton Loft has periodically invited guest from Social Security Administration to discuss these issues and answer any questions. Will Support be offered to me? Support will be given to all Transitional, Supported, and Independent Workers. How long does a TEP position lasts? Employment can range from six to nine months. After completing a TEP position you can decide to stop working, request another TEP spot, or move on to a supportive Employment or an Independent Employment spot. 8

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13 Chelton Loft is a voluntary clubhouse program for adults with a history of mental illness. It is part of Fedcap, a nonprofit organization that has been a leader in developing training and employment programs for people with disabilities and other significant barriers to employment since Fedcap helps America work. Fedcap s mission is to empower people with barriers to move towards economic independence as valued members of the workforce. From the visually impaired to returning veterans to youth transitioning out of foster care, Fedcap enables individuals to support themselves, be part of a community, and enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes from work. Through training, job placement, and socially responsible outsourcing tm services to business and government, Fedcap has helped thousands of people transform their lives and successfully enter the workforce. To learn more about Fedcap, or to make a donation, please visit or call (212)