A sidewalk sale for the ARP members had high visibility.

Social Rehabilitation Program

By Dorothy R. Monahan

RE-ENTRY INTO COMMUNITY living from the isolation of withdrawal or from hospitalization has been the business of the Activity Recreation Program of The Comprehensive Community Mental Health Center of Rock Island and Mercer Counties for almost 11 years. New quarters help to bring into focus the diversity inherent in the program. An occasional dropin club room for some, part of a daily routine for others, the club both entertains and helps build ego strengths. In the community it works to change attitudes and to improve available supportive services. A gift shop offers hand made items.

HISTORY

Along with the growth of the program has been the lengthening of its name; from Activity Recreation Center in 1961 when the Rock Island County Mental Health Society, assisted by the staff from East Moline State Hospital first launched it as a part time program. Next through an interim stage under the umbrella of the Child Guidance and Mental Health Center to its present status as a satelite program of the Comprehensive Community Mental Health Center, its program has continually been expanded. So many individuals and organizations have entered into its history and growth that a yearly 2 page listing is made just to acknowledge them.

THE CLUB FILLS VOID The emphasis in the club rooms is providing programming for an alternate subculture group filling a void created by society's rejection. Elected officers and their appointed committee chairmen plan activities with only minimal assistance from staff. The "what" of the activities aren't as important as the "why" of them. They are mostly goal oriented.

CHANGING ATTITUDES The climate of acceptability in the community, like any prejudice cannot be overcome with one technique. Several approaches are used:

1. The use of volunteers in the club rooms—Individuals and organizations taking turns coming to visit with members, assisting with some projects, providing occasional refreshments, assisting with transportation but always doing things with the members not for them in a learning experience—going home to find it hadn't "rubbed off" and perhaps with some insights into themselves.

2. Visibility—The mental patient is no longer out in the country where the community can conveniently forget him. With the "A.R.P." store front club rooms he is right downtown. But we don't stop there. There are A.R.P. members participating in many other organizations and activities and reporting back via club meetings or the club newspaper. The specific activities and techniques would be material for a workshop session at a conference.

3. Forced integration—Not all of the participation mentioned above is by invitation. In several cases the club treasury, by paying memberships and by the staff providing transportation, members have "joined."

ADVOCACY

The job would be only half done if the community wasn't involved to improve services. Without adequate community transportation, people will continue to be isolated from services. Without adequate personal funding, people will continue under tremendous stress. Without happy living arrangements, people will be depressed. Without free accessible diversified public recreation for adults, loneliness is fostered.

We are a long way from the shackles, but A.R.P. members have couragously exposed themselves to labeling and prejudice in order to make things better for those who follow.

Dorothy Monahan is Coordinator of Activity Recreation Programs for the Community Mental Health Center in Rock Island.

Illinois Parks and Recreation 28 September/October, 1972