Clubhouse

The Breakthrough House Clubhouse is a place where people with mental illness can come to rebuild their lives as part of a community of mutual support. As one member put it, “It’s a good place to get yourself well.”

Our flagship service is one of more than 300 clubhouse programs operating in 24 countries around the world. The participants are called members, not patients, and the focus is on their strengths, not their illness. The environment is a welcoming one, where a member is missed when absent and where the community pulls together for support should a member suffer a setback. Work and other activities in the clubhouse are designed to empower each member toward a more independent and enriching life on their journey.

For more information, please reach out to us at 785-232-6960.

Type Members and staff together are responsible for the daily operation of the BTH Clubhouse. Work is organized into five pre-vocational units: a clerical unit, a kitchen unit, a facility maintenance unit, a vehicle maintenance unit, and a thrift shop. Members have the opportunity to work side-by-side with staff in a unit of their choosing, performing many of the same tasks they would perform in a workplace, helping one another accomplish the work necessary to keep the Clubhouse running while honing existing work skills and developing new ones.
In addition to work, members have the opportunity to participate in other self-help activities of their choosing, such as discussion, support groups, and classes on fitness and health issues, current events, sewing and other crafts, and the management of mental illness. We also regularly schedule social and recreational opportunities. We rely upon the members to participate in setting all clubhouse policies and to play an integral role in the day-to-day functions of the clubhouse. Our members’ involvement in the daily operation of our group activities helps build self-esteem and confidence. The BTH Clubhouse is a place where people who have experienced mental illness can come to rebuild their lives by learning how to manage their illnesses and interact within the community.
Free meals are provided to all Clubhouse members at noon on days the Clubhouse is open. On Mondays, the noon meal is open to the public from 11:45am – 1pm.

Monday: 8:00am – 4:00pm

Tuesday: 8:00am – 4:00pm

Wednesday: 8:00am – 6:00pm

Thursday: 8:00am – 4:00pm

Friday: 8:00am – 4:00pm

Saturday & Sunday: Closed

Special Events on the 3rd Saturday of the Month.

Upon driver and vehicle availability, we will provide transportation to our members

Membership in the BTH Clubhouse is free and open to anyone 18 years of age and older with a confirmed persistent mental illness. It is important that an applicant genuinely want to participate in the clubhouse program, does not have a history of violence, and does not pose a threat of violence to themselves or others. Individuals seeking membership will be asked to complete an application and sign a release of information form so a copy of their most recent psychiatric assessment and a list of their current medications can be obtained. Once an individual has been accepted for membership, they are a member for life as long as they follow Clubhouse guidelines or until they request that they be removed from the rolls.

The BTH Clubhouse is located at 1201 Van Buren, Topeka, Kansas 66612—on the west side of Van Buren, directly across the street from the YWCA. For more information Call Leo Hope at (785) 232-6960