JULY 24, 2025
Clubhouse model for community mental health support gains traction in Waltham
By Evan Edmonds, The Waltham Times
With the backing of a newly formed advisory board of Waltham community leaders, the Charles Webster Potter Place Clubhouse, home of a unique mental health support program, is poised to reach new heights of visibility and community involvement.
The Potter Place Clubhouse at 15 Vernon St. is a vocational and social rehabilitation center for adults with mental health conditions. The clubhouse model is a community-based program that provides structure, socialization and rehabilitation for its members. The Waltham-based clubhouse is one of 36 in Massachusetts and has been in operation since 1988.
Patricia Vella, director of Potter Place, who has been in her role for about a year, wants to expand the program’s connections in Waltham to provide even better support for its members.
“When hearing about the clubhouse concept,” Vella said, “people often say it’s the best-kept secret, but that’s not where we want to be! We want to be well known in the community.”
What makes the clubhouse unique is that it’s a nonclinical form of mental health treatment. Members must be 18 or older and have a formal mental health diagnosis. It is entirely voluntary for its members.
Potter Place currently has 80 active members and sees around 17 to 20 visitors in person daily, in addition to its daily outreach and online meetings.
At Potter Place, members are given specific jobs or daily tasks and work alongside staff to carry out the clubhouse’s daily operations, whether it be working in the kitchen, answering phones, creating newsletters or managing social media.
Assuming responsibility for these specific tasks gives members structure and purpose, helping them feel productive and providing a sense of belonging, Vella said.
“When you’ve had a productive day, you feel fulfilled. The work we do here is the therapy,” she added.
Now with the backing of its new advisory board, which includes Ward 6 City Councilor Sean T. Durkee, Waltham Police Chief Kevin O’Connell and other community stakeholders and business owners, Vella is eager to see how it can support Potter Place’s ability to grow.
“This advisory board brings a wealth of knowledge, lived experience and a shared passion for community inclusion and mental wellness,” she said.
O’Connell said he is thrilled to support the Potter Place advisory board and looks forward to offering guidance on programming, planning and community engagement. He said his primary goal is to help the clubhouse attain full accreditation status.
“Observing firsthand the clubhouse’s peer-support model and meeting members confirmed to me how incredibly valuable Potter Place is to Waltham and surrounding communities,” O’Connell said. “I truly believe this approach not only benefits those directly involved but also enhances our overall community resilience in Waltham.”
Durkee said he was pleasantly surprised to learn about the clubhouse and its unique approach to mental health support. Added insight from the members of the advisory board will be another positive for the clubhouse, he said, and it “bodes well” for Potter Place to have the backing of the Police Department and the mayor’s office.
The clubhouse is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and all holidays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
View on The Waltham Times