Bridges Clubhouse located at 724 State Street in Watertown, is a clubhouse organized to help people recovering from mental illness as they learn to manage their illness and rejoin the worlds of employment, education, family and friends.  The clubhouse offers structure to their Members in the form of a work ordered day.

     The Drop In Center, located at 724 State Street in Watertown, is a non-structured program that identifies and engages individuals who may not choose to participate in more structured programs or who might not otherwise use mental health services.  The Center provides a low demand atmosphere for individuals to gather for mutual support, recreation, socialization, education and provide flexible individualized services and support in a non-judgmental manner which individuals can accept.

Support Groups

     REACH, short for REASSURANCE TO EACH, is a mutual support group for families of the mentally ill to help provide understanding and reassurance to those who have a spouse, child, relative or friend suffering from mental illness.  REACH provides an objective environment, where people are faced with similar concerns and help one another to cope more effectively.  The focus of this support is on the REACH participant, not on the identified mentally ill member of the family.

     Peer to Peer is a support group that meets Fridays at 1:30 at MHA.  Peer to Peer provides participants with an opportunity to share their joys, concerns and issues with other people who deal with mental illness.

     Through our outreach, MHA is developing mutual support efforts throughout Jefferson County.  Please contact us if you are interested in participating in a particular group or dealing with a particular topic.

     **NEW**  MHA will be facilitating a support group for families of deployed military personnel.  Please call MHA at 315-788-0970 for more information.

Community Outreach

     MHA has an Outreach Coordinator on staff to assist people throughout Jefferson County.  Our Outreach Coordinator sets up support groups, conducts orientations and arranges public speaking initiatives.  This person also conducts all intakes.  

NEW!!!  Speakers Bureau

     The MHA recently received funding through the Peer Networking Group to implement a Speaker's Bureau as part of an anti-stigma project.  The Speaker's Bureau is comprised of individuals with mental health diagnoses who wish to share their successes, obstacles and other personal experiences so that the community can truly understand what it is like to live with mental illness.

     The Invisible Children's Program (ICP) is the first of its kind in Jefferson County. The program is a home based, family centered case management program for parents with a mental illness and their children, that may or may not have a mental illness. The main focus of this program is to give parents the tools for providing a nurturing and safe environment for their children and to decrease out of home placements for children.  ICP is funded by the New York State Office of Children and Families, United Way and Jefferson-St. Lawrence Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Services.

     Gifts of love are distributed to anyone recovering from mental illness in Jefferson County and in the St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center during the holiday season.

Advocacy Efforts

     In addition, MHA has a Self-Advocacy Council that teaches people how to advocate for themselves and also how to be a systems advocate.  Members attend various legislative functions, advocate for community and statewide change and help people register to vote.  

     Self Advocacy is a great part of personal recovery and systems advocacy empowers people to be better advocates for themselves.

Recreation Program

     MHA offers recreational opportunities to its members.  Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday, members go to the movies, bowling or spend time at the mall.  Activities can occur throughout Northern and Central New York. Participants are required to pay the cost of the activity.  Transportation is provided.