About Granite Pathways

Granite Pathways is modeled after Fountain House in New York City and follows the accreditation standards of the International Center for Clubhouse Development (ICCD.) Prior to the founding of Granite Pathways, NH was among 14 states in the U.S. that had no accredited Clubhouses.

Similar to the grass roots initiative that led to the start of Fountain House, six family members and consumers of mental health services founded Granite Pathways in 2009 to enhance the options available in NH for recovery support. With the help of the congregation of Brookside Congregational Church and many in the community, Granite Pathways officially opened its doors on October 11, 2010. Today we have 80 active members.

Our Goals

As a peer membership organization, the goals of Granite Pathways are to:

1. Eliminate the social isolation of mental illness and provide an environment in which our members build healthy and fulfilling social relationships.
2. Improve our members’ resiliency, coping skills, and access to housing and basic needs.
3. Enhance our members’ employment opportunities, stability, and wages.
4. Encourage and support our members who are advancing their educations and careers.
5. Eliminate the stigma of mental illness and build our members’ sense of hope, pride and dignity.

What is a Clubhouse?

The term "Clubhouse" refers to the specific model of peer support and recovery that has evolved from Fountain House and is now recognized as an evidence-based practice for achieving superior employment and recovery outcomes. The term "Clubhouse" came from the building in which Fountain House was originally located, which was similar to those of the business and professional clubs throughout the city, such as the Yale Club and Harvard Club that exist today. The term "Clubhouse" stuck and is now used to name the model that is defined by the certification standards of the ICCD.

Fountain House has been so successful that it has been replicated by hundreds of independent organizations in the U.S. and throughout the world. However, not all organizations that call themselves "clubhouses" are following the certification standards. The International Center for Clubhouse Development (ICCD) was formed in 1994 to ensure quality and fidelity to the Clubhouse model. The ICCD oversees the creation and updating of certification standards, the certification review process, training, and promotion of accredited Clubhouses throughout the world.

Today there are over 300 Clubhouses worldwide and 203 in the U.S. Currently, 111 Clubhouses in the U.S. meet the certification standards of the ICCD. Some, like us, are working toward accreditation, which is typically a three- to five-year process.