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IRIS Clubhouse asks council for support; cites Medicaid access barriers and launches supported-education program
Summary
Representatives from IRIS Clubhouse described recent member outcomes, launched an in-house supported-education course and asked the council to advocate for Medicaid access; they said state-mandated assessments limit access to Medicaid-funded services.
Rebecca Reeves, executive director of IRIS Clubhouse, told the Casper City Council on Feb. 18 that the local clubhouse provides accredited Clubhouse-model services for people living with mental illness and that the organization needs advocacy and partnerships to sustain and expand programming.
"Right now, as it stands, we only receive funding through local foundations and grants," Reeves said. "We are eligible to receive Medicaid funds. However, the barriers are high to receive them, specifically the DLA-20 assessment that is mandated by the state, for our members to complete in order to qualify for Clubhouse services." Reeves said only therapists at CWCC currently can provide that assessment in the area, creating an access bottleneck.
A clubhouse member, Sally, described personal outcomes after joining IRIS in January 2023, saying she had been homeless and on the verge of suicide at intake and has had no hospitalizations in two years since engaging with the clubhouse. "I have found myself emotionally and personally in growth with the help of the colleagues at the IRIS Clubhouse," she said.
Reeves described a new supported-education program at the clubhouse: an in-house pre-college curriculum intended to help members prepare for college coursework and address barriers to enrollment. She said the course is not currently accredited and does not award college credits.
Councilors praised the clubhouse’s work. Several council members invited staff and councilors to visit the facility, and Councilor Sweeney encouraged councilors to take tours and attend lunch at the clubhouse.
Why it matters: IRIS Clubhouse provides community-based support and rehabilitation services for people with serious mental illness; access to Medicaid reimbursement could expand services but, according to Reeves, requires changes in assessment capacity and training for private clinicians or policy changes at the state level.
