(August 28, 2019) Kenneth J. Dudek, a true leader and tireless advocate for people with serious mental illness, is retiring at the end of next week after serving 27 years as president of Fountain House.
Like the Treatment Advocacy Center, Fountain House embraces the challenge of serving people with the most severe of psychiatric conditions. It is this laser-like focus that fuels the organization’s drive and helps propel us towards a future in which all people with serious mental illness can live successful, fulfilling lives.
As the original clubhouse for people with serious mental illness, Fountain House has been replicated more than 300 times in 32 different states and around the world. It seeks to build a working community for people with serious mental illness, in which members can forge relationships, regain confidence and make progress towards educational and employment goals. Funded through a public-private partnership, the clubhouse provides tangible opportunities for its members to live, work, and learn. In turn, members are able to contribute their talents through a community of mutual support in a variety of fields, from culinary to horticulture to wellness.
Fountain House has made a significant impact with its approach. More than 42% of Fountain House members are employed – three times the national average – and research has shown that members are less likely to seek treatment in an emergency department or be admitted for inpatient hospitalization. One analysis by New York University Health Evaluation and Analytics Lab published in 2017 showed that the cost of care for people with serious mental Illness on Medicaid who were previously high utilizers of public systems decreased by 21% after their enrollment in Fountain House.
As critical as the organization has been to people with serious mental illness, so too has Kenneth J. Dudek been critical to the development of Fountain House. Through Kenn’s leadership, it has become a leading voice on the devastating impact of serious mental illness while being an inspiration for people to achieve their true potential.
Through Kenn’s tireless devotion, the organization earned the Hilton Humanitarian Prize in 2014, the largest and most prestigious recognition of humanitarian efforts, making Fountain House the first mental health organization to receive such an honor.
Kenn’s confidence in the capacity of Fountain House members has empowered countless individuals with serious mental illness. His passion for the promise of Fountain House can be seen in his acceptance of that prize, explaining “There are 450 million people living with mental illness around the world… But treating the illness clinically is only part of the solution. The second part is providing hope and purpose. Or as we say, a place to come, a place to work, meaningful relationships, and a place to return in the world.”
The Treatment Advocacy Center sincerely appreciates and applauds Kenn’s lifetime of service and his dedication to people with serious mental illness. We know that his absence will be felt by the mental health advocacy community, but we also know he deserves a happy and healthy retirement. We wish him all the best.