Accreditation

This past February, Aspire House hosted Kathy from Thunderbird Clubhouse in Norman, Oklahoma, and Trent from Potential Place in Calgary, Canada, for our triennial accreditation review with Clubhouse International.

Accreditation matters because it verifies that Aspire House meets proven international standards for clubhouse programs, ensuring members receive evidence-based support. Accredited clubhouses are universally recognized as operating with a high level of compliance with the International Standards for Clubhouse Programs. Today, 71% of clubhouses worldwide are accredited, up from 46% in 2014. This represents a growing commitment to quality and best practices across the clubhouse movement.

The accreditation process combines evaluation with collaboration. Over the course of three days, Kathy and Trent observed our operations and offered guidance on how we can continue to meet these standards.

“I was intimidated by the word accreditation leading up to the visit, so finding out it wasn’t a bad thing was nice,” said member Junpei. “Our accreditors were very friendly and fit right in.”

We’re proud to report that Aspire House received only two recommendations. This is fewer than our last review three years ago. We’re grateful for the thoughtful feedback and look forward to the final report.

In related news, two Aspire House staff members, Steven and Sam, were accepted into the Clubhouse International faculty and completed their training. They’ll soon participate in accreditation visits at other clubhouses.

“It felt great to be accepted into that role and take on more responsibility to serve the wider Clubhouse community,” said Steven.

Clubhouse International continues to support programs around the world through clear standards, peer connection, and a shared belief in recovery through community. We’re proud to be part of that network.

Aspire House members and staff with our accreditation team after getting the preliminary results