The Rainbow Center is not a drop-in center, nor does it have any connection to the gay and lesbian population. Rather, it is a clubhouse in Des Moines, Iowa, completely run by the severely mentally ill. The “work” of maintaining the clubhouse is the the rehabilitation program. The camaraderie and opportunities to learn new skills have drawn a couple hundred members. As I walked through the clubhouse, I felt a sense of acceptance. Every single person in the building had a mental illness; I wasn’t alone.
