Dandelion helping to sow the seeds of stability for members

Inadequate provisions

Although many rehabilitation centers have been established in China's urban areas in recent years, mainly under the auspices of local disabled persons' federations, few were specifically designed for people with mental health issues, who have different needs from those with physical disabilities.

"Community rehabilitation is very important, but it is lagging behind other fields in mental health work," said Wang Bin, an official with the commission.

Moreover, the scarcity of medical resources and services has taken a toll, not only on the patients and their families, but also society as a whole. In 2014, 7,250 people with severe mental issues were responsible for a series of incidents and attacks, some of which resulted in death or injury, according to China Disabled Persons' Federation.

The incidents reinforced the existing discrimination against patients and further isolated them from the public, said Liu Tiebang, president of Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen's only facility dedicated to mental health issues.

Citing a 2013 survey, Liu said 73.6 percent of local residents were reluctant to have people with mental health issues as neighbors, while 82.5 percent said they consider such patients "a risk".

In one extreme incident last year, the hospital was besieged by local residents calling for it to be relocated, after a man with mental issues killed one person and injured seven others. However, the man wasn't a patient at the hospital.

"To get treatment and go through rehabilitation is the patients' right, no one can deprive them of that," Liu said, adding that government funding has risen in recent years and a larger hospital is now under construction.

Last year, in an attempt to reduce the number of incidents and improve the patents' welfare, the central government ordered a number of local departments nationwide, including those in the fields of public security, social security and civil affairs, to set up a united working group and improve coordination.

Recovery, reintegration

"The best way to maintain social stability is to give patients full access to treatment and rehabilitation," said Hu Chiyi, a psychiatrist and vice-president of Kangning Hospital. "You can keep patients at home for a day, but you can't do it forever."

Like clubhouses elsewhere in the world, Dandelion has a long-term plan to prepare its members for a return to society and the job market.

The clubhouse has a small shop, where members take turns to work behind the counter. Those whose condition is stable and who are recovering well are also allowed to work at other facilities that have partnered with the clubhouse. They are mainly run by the local disabled persons' federation, and members start by working half-days and gradually work up to the full schedule.

So far, 12 Dandelion members have been employed this way.

"Corporate social responsibility is a new thing in China. I hope one day more companies will provide job opportunities for our members," said Chen, Dandelion's director, who is currently in negotiations with a local company to arrange work placements for members.

"It doesn't only help them rebuild their lives, but also enables the public to learn more about them."

Alice is not yet ready for job-hunting, but like many of her friends at the club, she is looking forward to finding a full-time job one day to "contribute more to the family".

Moreover, she has another pressing goal in the shape of her 3-year-old daughter, who is being cared for by her grandfather in her hometown in Hubei province.

"I know my condition is not good enough for me to look after my daughter at the moment. I just hope I can keep recovering and become a responsible mother soon," she said.

Nurses dispense medication to patients at Kangning Hospital, Shenzhen's only facility dedicated to the treatment of mental health issues.Jin Yuze / For China Daily