The Official Website of The McClendon Center

Who We Are

Since 1980 the McClendon Center has been providing community-based mental health services in its downtown Washington, D.C. location for adults diagnosed with mental illnesses. The Center had its start as a social outreach mission of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church (NYAPC), but over the years outgrew its original mission, and in 2003 became legally independent of the church by incorporating as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, tax-exempt organization. The Center’s administrative staff and day program continue to be housed in the church, reflecting a family atmosphere for consumers, staff and visitors. Additional space was not readily available in the church when the Center expanded its services in 2007, so the Center’s Core Services Agency (CSA) operates from an additional location. The Center functions under the leadership of the McClendon Center Board of Directors, which is composed of elected individuals (including NYAPC members) representing a variety of professional backgrounds as well as mental health consumer groups. This Center Board delegates program operation authority to the McClendon Center’s Executive Director.

The Center is named for its founder, the Reverend Doctor Jack E. McClendon, a longtime pastor at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. He envisioned the need for community-based care subsequent to the national movement to deinstitutionalize individuals from state psychiatric hospitals, which includes Saint Elizabeths Hospital. Since first opening, the Center has been fortunate to continuously offer services through various funding contracts authorized by the local D.C. Department of Mental Health. All Center mental health services are available to eligible D.C. residents who are age eighteen or above.

The Center takes pride in its professional commitment and approach. As an example, in the late 1990s the Center voluntarily sought to be accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations as an outpatient behavioral health care organization. It was exacting work for all involved, and eventually the Center achieved its goal by gaining Joint Commission accreditation for an initial three-year period beginning March of 1999. Since then, the Center has continuously maintained its accreditation by demonstrating compliance with Joint Commission standards. Recently the Center experienced an “unannounced” survey visit in January of 2008, and again received another three year period of accreditation. This initiative remains a Center priority, since all our mental health consumers benefit greatly when these performance standards are met.

 

In an effort to serve more individuals, the Center opened its Core Services Agency in April of 2007, becoming the “clinical home” for its mental health consumers. The Center is certified by the D.C. Department of Mental Health as a Core Services Agency, as well as a Specialty Provider of Rehabilitation/Day Services. In September 2006, the Center began operating its Medicaid Day Treatment Program under the auspices of the D.C. Department of Health. By opening the Core Services Agency and augmenting the day program through Medicaid Day Treatment, the Center has been able to greatly expand its service reach, providing a diverse array of services to D.C. residents.

The McClendon Center is committed to the principles of continuous quality performance improvement. This ongoing commitment to excellence serves to support all Center staff in their efforts to continually strive to meet and exceed the needs and expectations of all the  Center’s consumers. Our consumers are the primary beneficiaries of our services, while the community at large is the beneficiary of their improved functioning. In a concerted effort to best serve our consumers, the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, the D.C. Department of Mental Health, the D.C. Department of Health, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the McClendon Center Board of Directors, among others, all contribute in the evaluation process regarding the Center’s performance.

• Read more about the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations