Pennsylvania Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services

09/02/2025

Check out September trainings below!

08/25/2025

Welcome to our Program Highlight, our newest feature where you can learn about and share your program’s background and achievements! This month’s post highlights Katie's Place Clubhouse!

08/12/2025

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07/21/2025

Welcome to Board Member Monday! Each Monday we share information about our amazing board members and what made them get involved with PAPRS!

Name: Hazel Smith-Guild

Job title and description: Executive Director

Committees you have been involved with: Budget and Finance and Conference Committees

How long have you been affiliated with PAPRS?: I have been on the board since January 2025, but I have had my CPRP since before Wellspring Community Support Services was even developed.

What made you join the PAPRS family?: I strongly believe in psychological rehabilitation and want to be part of an organization committed to mental health recovery. PAPRS is a leader in this field, advocating that recovery is possible, which I fully support.

What do you wish more people knew about Psychiatric Rehabilitation?: I wish more people knew the existence of it as a service and its effectiveness in people’s lives.

Fun fact about yourself: I love to play games because it allows me quality time with my family and friends.

07/17/2025

How have you been -Centered this week?

07/07/2025

Check out the July trainings!

06/30/2025

Happy summer from 🌞🌻

06/26/2025

New course announcement! Join us in September to learn more about AMSR during our 3.0 credit-hour course. Contact Rochelle Reimert at rochelle.reimert@paprs.org with any questions.

06/24/2025

06/23/2025

Welcome to our Program Highlight, our newest feature where you can learn about and share your program’s background and achievements! This month’s post highlights Wellspring Clubhouse at St. Luke’s Penn Foundation!

A Brief History of Your Program:
Wellspring Clubhouse was developed by Penn Foundation's continuing care team over a period of several years starting in the 80's. There were very few social rehabilitation services (and funds) out there for individuals who were transitioning back into the community from psychiatric inpatient services. At this time, individuals were also achieving more psychiatric stability and families and individuals expressed a desire for more challenging programs to increase social, educational, and vocational needs. The team began investigating other programs and finally decided to take several groups of board members, families, staff, executives, and consumers to Fountain House in New York City. This visit resulted in a unanimous decision for a Clubhouse in Upper Bucks! Due to very few funds available for social rehabilitation services, the team began to implement pieces of what later would become Wellspring Clubhouse. They implemented a weekly breakfast program, a monthly soup and sandwich program, a resource library,. a volunteer food cupboard, two social clubs, a stationary store, and a newsletter. They raised $30,000 through fundraising, were awarded the Pew Grant in December of 1992 and received additional funds from two local county offices to be able to establish a Fountain House model clubhouse. They hired their first Director in May of 1993 and in June of that same year, created the Clubhouse Planning Committee made up of five members and the Clubhouse Director to plan and implement the grant objectives and bringing Wellspring Clubhouse to life!

What would you love others to know about your program?
What we really want people to know about Clubhouses is that we have been the best kept secret for far too long! We want others to know we are here for them and that any challenges they face, we will face them together! A clubhouse is a community of hope and unique, incredibly talented individuals who are authentically themselves and support each other through the good and the bad! It's a place where you can depend on people to truly see and accept you for who you are! Additionally, as a Clubhouse International member we are proud to be the recipients of the following awards: American Psychiatric Association Special Presidential Commendation Award, Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize Laureate, and the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation Honorary 2022 Pardes Humanitarian Prize In Mental Health.

What’s something that makes your program unique?
We follow 37 standards developed by members and staff for accredited Clubhouses that help us to assure that we give our members the very best services! We regularly have house meetings, attend trainings and conferences together that help us to identify ways we can make our Clubhouse the very best! Everything we do here is intentional! We celebrate holidays together, plan social activities together, advocate at the local and state level, participate in job development, and most of all partner together to complete the daily operations to run the Clubhouse! Clubhouse members and staff work side by side together to run the Clubhouse every day and staff don't wear badges because we are all equal! Members utilize the Clubhouse in any way that supports them in moving towards their rehabilitation goals! Also, we have the best lunch around for $1.50 so come check us out!

If you would be interested in highlighting your program, email me at ritascoutenwcss@yahoo.com!

06/16/2025

Welcome to Board Member Monday! Each Monday we share information about our amazing board members and what made them get involved with PAPRS!

Name: Patrinia Wilkerson

Job title and description: Clubhouse Rehabilitation Specialist

Committees you have been involved with: Education & Consultation Committee

How long have you been affiliated with PAPRS?: With my company Community Services Group, over 8 years. As a board member, since January 2025.

What made you join the PAPRS family?: I saw all of the good work that PAPRS does for Pennsylvania and Psych Rehab. After doing more research, I wanted to be a part of this organization.

What do you wish more people knew about Psychiatric Rehabilitation?: All the behind-the-scenes work that is done! There is so much I am learning, especially with the Education and Consultation Committee.

Fun fact about yourself: Hmm….I love to watch bushcraft and RV videos on YouTube.

06/13/2025

We have a new address! Check out our new mailing address below!