Clubhouse International is honored to partner with the World Federation for Mental Health and 43 member Clubhouses from five countries and 12 U.S. states on this campaign. Together, we are working to advance global and community-driven solutions toward transforming mental health outcomes by raising awareness of the Clubhouse Model, reducing stigma, empowering and celebrating the voice of lived experience, and encouraging greater investment in mental health services.
Mounting research shows that strong social connections can help reduce the risk of depression and anxiety, improve self-esteem, and increase feelings of happiness and life satisfaction. Conversely, lack of social connection increases the chances of experiencing loneliness, depression, and anxiety. (Source: NIH National Library of Medicine)
The World Health Organization’s Commission on Social Connection (2025) has declared loneliness a global public health crisis. The Commission’s findings reveal that:
· 1 in 6 people globally experience loneliness
· Loneliness is linked to 871,000 preventable deaths each year—that’s nearly 100 every hour
· It erodes health, education, economic resilience, and overall well-being
The 2025 Report urgently calls for:
· Treating social and mental health with the same urgency as physical health
· Scalable, systemic solutions to rebuild connection
· A future where more connections lead to better health and stronger communities
Connection is not optional—it’s essential. The goal of their 2025 campaign is to champion the transformative power of connection in mental health recovery—and demonstrate how the Clubhouse approach saves lives and transforms communities every day.
For example, Lucas a member at Progress Place, Toronto, Canada shared: “I have been a member of Progress Place for just over a year. In that time, I’ve been able to come out of my shell and do things that I previously did not have the confidence to do. The community here has been absolutely wonderful and has given me a safe and vibrant place to progress in life.”
To learn more about this campaign, visit https://clubhouse-intl.org/world-mental-health-day/
Clubhouse International is the only global mental health nonprofit that expands and enhances recovery opportunities for people living with mental illness by integrating our proven recovery model into community-based systems of care worldwide.
Clubhouse International coordinates and connects a global network of Clubhouses that are based on the Clubhouse Model of psychosocial rehabilitation which is recognized by the World Health Organization as an example of a rights-based approach to recovery. Today, there are 372 Clubhouses operating in 32 countries that work to end social and economic isolation for people living with mental illness. Clubhouses offer resources and opportunities for recovery through friendship, employment, education, wellness, and social programming. There is no health without mental health.
Press contact:
Anna Sackett Rountree
Director of Communications, Clubhouse International
asackett@clubhouse-intl.org | +1 716.302.4307
Clubhouse International
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New York, NY 10022
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+1 212.582.0343
