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Warrior for the mentally ill honored by Gov. Baldacci

By Amy Calder acalder@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

WATERVILLE — Jim Schmidt has spent a lifetime helping people with mental illnesses make social connections and find jobs.

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Jim Schmidt of Rome speaks about an award given by Gov. Baldacci and the commissioners of the Maine departments of labor and health and human services for his contributions to people who suffer with mental health issues. He is on the board of High Hopes Clubhouse in Waterville. Behind Schmidt is his son, Cliff Schmidt.

Staff photo by David Leaming

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Praise for Jim Schmidt:

“On behalf of mental health consumers, service providers, and the citizens of Maine, we are taking this opportunity to recognize your remarkable contribution to the health and welfare of those who have been challenged with mental health issues.”
— from a Nov. 15 letter to Schmidt from Brenda Harvey, commissioner of the state Department of Health & Human Services, and Laura Fortman, commissioner of the state Department of Labor

The idea is simple: With work, one gains confidence, self-worth, friends and a sense of accomplishment — not to mention an income.

While there has been progress in promoting this model of rehabilitation in Maine, the work is far from done, according to Schmidt, 83, of Rome.

When people say that many of those with mental illness are unable or unwilling to work, Schmidt disagrees.

“It’s not accurate,” he said. “You can’t say a percentage of people can’t work until you give them the opportunity to work.”

Schmidt was recently praised by Gov. John Baldacci and other state officials for his lifelong contribution to the promotion of full-time employment and high quality of life for adults with mental illness.

Schmidt moved to Rome in the 90s with his wife, Mollie, after retiring in 1992 as executive director of Fountain House, an organization supporting people with mental illness that started in New York City, grew worldwide and helped members find work.

After retiring to Maine, Schmidt didn’t stop working. He helped launch High Hopes, a community clubhouse in Waterville that helps people with mental illnesses make social connections and find meaningful jobs.

It was the first of its kind in the state and was patterned after Fountain House. With about 106 members, the clubhouse now has 44 members who are working full and part time. There are more than 300 similar facilities around the world.

Schmidt also helped develop Capitol Clubhouse in Augusta and works with state officials to help promote the clubhouse model.

Despite undergoing treatment for pancreatic cancer, Schmidt continues to push for funding and expansion of the program.

“You look for opportunities to keep it on the table,” he said.

To recognize Schmidt’s legacy, state officials are providing scholarships to two clubhouse members to attend the Clubhouse Conference and Employment Celebration in Washington, D.C. next year. The members will attend workshops, visit the Capitol, meet senators and representatives and help honor employers, according to Schmidt.

Waterville City Manager Michael Roy is chairman of the advisory committee for High Hopes, of which Schmidt is a member. Roy said without Schmidt, there would not be a clubhouse here.

“He brought the idea to our area and helped secure a lot of our funding,” Roy said.

The late Mal Wilson also was a key player in developing High Hopes.

“It was the belief of people like Jim and Mal that those with mental disabilities should not be confined to a life of collecting benefits,” Roy said. “People with mental illness have worth, they have value to society, they can work in certain situations under certain conditions, and that work can be a huge part of their rehabilitation.”

Wilson and Schmidt were unstoppable when it came to developing the program, he said.
“Jim came in with experience about the program and Mal was out on the street, recruiting the hospital and Colby College and Marden’s (Surplus & Salvage),” he said.

High Hopes is a program of Kennebec Behavioral Health, which at the time of the club’s inception was Kennebec Valley Mental Health Center. High Hopes works with businesses such as Marden’s, T.J. Maxx, Johnny’s Selected Seeds and Grondin’s, to help club members find employment. If a member cannot make it to work, a club staffer will fill in.

Mayor Paul LePage, who also is Maine’s governor-elect, remembers Wilson coming into Marden’s and insisting that LePage be a member of the advisory committee for High Hopes. LePage did, and Marden’s started hiring club members. Two years ago, Marden’s won a national award for its work in employing dozens of people with mental illness.

“It not only works — the one thing I never expected to see out of it was that the High Hopes members are really inspirational to the rest of the work force,” LePage said. “They come in with such a can-do attitude and a desire to learn, and they work so hard and they literally motivate others to work hard.”

LePage said that as governor, he plans to promote the clubhouse model, statewide.

He praised Schmidt for his efforts.

“He’s got such a wealth of knowledge and he is persistent. It’s nearly impossible to say ‘no’ to Jim. I think the world of him. He’s just a wonderful person.”

Roy echoed LePage’s sentiment.

“I certainly admire his long career of working with people with mental illness. I have tremendous respect for the fact that when he retired, he didn’t stop.”

In 1997, Jim Schmidt received the Alice Fordyce Public Service Award for his work at a United Nations Award celebration in New York City. He also was honored for guiding Fountain House programs through a worldwide expansion.

A New York City native, he received a bachelor’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University and a master’s in social work from Columbia University.

He is modest about his achievements, preferring instead to name others who work hard for the clubhouse model.

“I’m glad to have been part of it,” he said. “I know what the struggles are. It’s hard. It’s not easy. There’s more work to do.”