Today we’d like to introduce you to Jazzlyn Harris.
Hi Jazzlyn, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As a St. Louis native, I knew that returning home after undergrad was a high possibility as I have so much love for my community and a desire to help those who need it the most. I received my Bachelor’s in Psychology from Missouri State University with a minor in Diversity Studies. I am currently pursuing a Masters in Public Health. After graduating, I entered the field of ABA (applied behavior analysis) and worked with children and teens diagnosed with ASD (autism spectrum disorder). I thoroughly enjoyed seeing my clients’ growth in skills and independence and interacting with the families. When the opportunity presented itself to merge my two passions, I knew I had to jump at it. I saw an opening for a position to run a brain injury clubhouse and applied right away. My interest and passion for brain injury were always in the back of my mind, but at the time of graduating, no jobs offered me to work in both brain injury and psychology.
After being hired and joining BIFSTL in August of 2022, I got to work. After interviewing with the Executive Director (Trish Nance MA, CCC-SLP) and Director of Client Services (Sarah Davis CBIST), I knew that this was the organization for me. They both voiced a desire to integrate psychology into the Clubhouse development and programming, and I couldn’t agree more. In almost nine months of running the Clubhouse, I have seen how beneficial it truly is and how it changes people’s lives. I have a genuine passion for this community, and I will do everything I can to make this resource accessible to all brain injury survivors and their families.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The two biggest obstacles I have faced since starting are transportation and funding.
- Transportation is one of the biggest obstacles for Clubhouse simply because most of our members need help to drive themselves. For some, taking public transportation is not feasible and can become a safety concern depending on a member’s cognitive and memory skill level. Many members who attend are transported by family members or personal care assistants that are covered through workers’ compensation. Having the funding to purchase a van or bus for Clubhouse would make a huge difference in how accessible we are.
- Funding is the next biggest thing that is concern and challenge. With healthcare comes bills on top of bills. Additional funding is not optional depending on a member’s injury and how they sustained it—leaving the family with paying out of pocket. While Clubhouse does operate on a sliding scale, sometimes families still need help to afford the monthly payments. I am consistently working to find ways to combat this challenge in hopes of, once again, making Clubhouse an accessible resource for the St. Louis brain injury community.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next, you can tell us more about your business.
The Dura Mater Clubhouse is run under the parent organization, “The Brain Injury Foundation of St. Louis.” We are a vocational rehabilitation service provider located in Maplewood, MO. We service brain injuries, specifically individuals. Dura Mater Clubhouse is the only brain injury clubhouse in Missouri. The Clubhouse is a special place because we have cultivated an environment for individuals and families to access support and resources as they figure out life after injury. Our goal is to encourage our members and their families that there is a purpose after injury, and we are here to help them find it. The Clubhouse is inclusive of all brain injuries, which includes not only TBIs (blunt external force) but ABIs (stroke, aneurysm, anoxia) as well.
Dura Mater Clubhouse is a place where failure is encouraged and supported because we all have the opportunity to grow out of moments of failure. Our Clubhouse runs off the Mental Health Clubhouse model, structured in a “work-ordered day.” This structure provides members with routine and repetition, which is essential in skill building. It also aids in providing members with a sense of familiarity and comfort.
The Clubhouse serves two purposes:
1. Job-Readiness Skills
2. Home & Community Integration Skills.
Job-Readiness Skills are for members looking to regain & develop skills that will set them up for successful competitive employment post-injury. These skills are heavily reinforced by collaborating with each member’s team of providers. Home & Community Integration Skills are for all members. We empower our members to achieve their full potential and lead fulfilling lives. Members are given an environment to work on life skills that are transferable to their environments outside of the Clubhouse.
Dura Mater Clubhouse takes every opportunity to give back to our local community. We host local food drives and donate the goods to St. Louis Foodbank. Items made within our Upcycling unit are presented to the Humane Society of St. Louis and St. Patrick’s Center. We offer various volunteer opportunities that cater to the range of high school students to graduate students. Whether a high school student is looking to complete service learning hours or a graduate student needs an internship site to gain experience and hours for graduation and certification, the Clubhouse can meet every student’s needs. It is important for the community and our future professionals to experience hands-on what the world of brain injury looks like outside of a clinical setting.
What are your plans for the future?
Our Clubhouse has been open for over a year, with our birthday on March 14, 2022. Our main plan and focus are to continue getting our name out into the community and to be a resource for brain injury survivors and their families. We plan to host more events in 2023 and even more in the coming years. Follow our social media pages to stay up to date. We would love to see our Clubhouse membership grow as well! With that being said, we are currently accepting new members. Tours are always welcome, so contact us to set one up. We are also always looking for small businesses, non-profits, and healthcare workers/networks to partner with to expand our resource reach to our members and clientele. If you, or someone you know, maybe interested, please reach out to jazzlyn.harris@bifstl.org.
Pricing:
- Membership cost varies based on current benefits coverage and financial status. Private pay fees are determined using a sliding scale method for those without coverage. Prospective members may need to provide financial information for an accurate cost estimate and service plan.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.bifstl.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/duramater_clubhouse/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/DuraMater-Clubhouse/100086903831093/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/dura-mater-clubhouse/
