Fairweather Lodge
The Fairweather Lodge is a research driven recovery-oriented housing model for persons with mental illness. The model consists of shared housing and shared employment for persons with mental illness. Its goal is to provide emotional support, a place to live, and employment for its members. The program was developed by Dr. George Fairweather in California in 1963 as a result of extensive experimental research. In his studies, Dr. Fairweather found that people with serious mental illness are less likely to return to the hospital when they live and work together as a group, rather than live and work individually. His research also showed that the Lodge Program helps people stay in the community longer, provides more employment opportunities, and costs less than conventional treatment programs. For more information about Fairweather Lodges in Pennsylvania, please read our March 2002 Newsletter, February 2005 Edition, May 2008 edition, and March 2009 editions.