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Dozens of residents urge continued support for Clubhouse El Dorado; members describe housing, employment and recovery benefits
Summary
Multiple speakers at open forum described how Clubhouse El Dorado prevented homelessness, helped members secure housing and jobs, and supported mental-health recovery; they urged the board to preserve funding and space for the peer-run program.
A large group of Clubhouse El Dorado members and NAMI volunteers delivered personal testimony during the board’s open forum on May 19, urging supervisors to preserve the peer-run Clubhouse and its services.
Multiple members described pathways from homelessness or crisis to stable housing, employment and recovery with help from Clubhouse staff and volunteers. Speakers offered concrete examples: assistance with housing searches, job leads, peer-support training and help maintaining health appointments. Several described life-or-death turning points and credited the Clubhouse with providing purpose and community.
"Without the Clubhouse, I really wouldn't be standing before you today," one member said, summarizing the widely repeated theme that the program fills a gap between institutional care and independent community living.
Speakers asked the board to consider stable funding and use of county facilities or supportive partnerships that allow the Clubhouse to keep its doors open. Board members thanked the speakers for their testimony; no formal board action was taken during open forum.
Why it matters: county support for peer-run and recovery-oriented programs can affect homelessness prevention and behavioral-health outcomes. Speakers said Clubhouse services produce measurable returns when members gain steady housing and employment.
The board did not vote on funding at the meeting; supervisors acknowledged hearing the testimony and invited continued engagement with CAO and behavioral-health staff.
