Education
“When I got ill for the first time I was a freshman in college. I burned all my bridges with my professors, my room-mate and my classmates. I was finally kicked out of school and landed in a hospital. When I was told I had a psychiatric illness I thought my chance to go back to school was over.”
—Sharon, a Fountain House member
Many people diagnosed with a mental illness feel that continuing their education is impossible. Undeniably, students who are managing mental illness must surmount many obstacles to succeed in school, but with the proper supports they can meet their academic goals, whether that is receiving a GED or a PhD. Fountain House has developed an array of supports that enable students not only to return to school but to excel. As one of the largest education programs of its kind, Fountain House assists an average of 133 students each semester in a variety of academic settings – GED classes, technical schools, colleges, and graduate studies.
“I first became ill when I was a sophomore in college. More devastating than having to withdraw from school, was the loss of all of my friends. I became socially isolated and chronically depressed. This isolation and depression lasted a few years. Then I was introduced to Fountain House; there was something about the community and the dynamics of it which helped alleviate my depression and boast my self esteem. This change was instrumental in my return to school and earning my BA.”
—John
The Fountain House Education Program is open to all clubhouse members who have a desire to learn. Like any other segment of the population, those with mental illness all have different intellectual capabilities and academic goals. In order to best serve our membership, we have developed a wide array of services that can be tailored to meet each member’s specific educational needs.
Tutoring is available to all members, whether they are enrolled in college level classes, basic in-house classes, or are simply interested in improving their skills. Our tutors are all members with a particular skill-set in a subject area.
Satellite college offers entry-level college courses in the comforts of the clubhouse. It allows students to discover if they are college-ready and helps them to generate positive academic habits. Satellite classes are awarded college credits that can be applied to any SUNY or CUNY school
The School Liaison accompanies potential students to ‘open houses’ at schools of interest and connects students taking courses in the community with important offices on campus. If students are having difficulty with a professor, the school liaison may advocate for the student.
Admission assistance helps to mitigate the stress of applying to school. We encourage members to collaborate with each other and with staff in the process.
Financial Aid assistance is crucial to many students’ ability to further their education. We work with a variety of government sources and several colleges to help students secure the necessary funding. We also offer in-house scholarships, and we partner with the Cristina Foundation to provide computer equipment.
Monthly student gatherings provide a forum for dissemination of information and an opportunity for current and potential students to receive peer-to-peer support.
Regular outreach through various media – a monthly student bulletin, email alerts, and social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace – assures that students have the most up-to-date information about relevant topics. It also serves as reminder that the larger community is there, should the student need a little extra support.
Student loan deferment/discharge eases the financial burden of loan repayment for our members who are unable to work full time.
Please email bmaltz@fountainhouse.org to request more information about the supports Fountain House provides to students.
