The Josselyn Center

Client Overview

The Josselyn Center is a non-profit therapy facility located in Northfield, IL. At the center of their mission statement, they believe everyone deserves quality mental health care. The Josselyn Center offers services ranging from clinical and wellness programs, case management, outreach to hospitals and police, client and family resources, community programs, and continuing education.

Project Overview

In 2016, I partnered with Designs 4 Dignity as the Senior Project Manager & Designer, working pro-bono on the Josselyn Center project. I partnered with an architectural firm, hired by the client, to develop the interior master plan, including refitting the entire building to be ADA accessible and suicide proof. The Master Plan includes three phases, with phase one completed in July 2017.

Project Goals

1. Open up the space and allow in natural sunlight
2. Create a more accessible space, while maintaining security
3. Revamp the administration offices and patient record storage access, with the goal to go paper-free in the next five years

Project Phases

Phase 1: Lower level group center, four new therapy offices, teletherapy room, and two ADA accessible bathrooms.

Phase 2: New accessible entry, including an elevator addition, upper level reception, patient record storage.

Phase 3: Conference rooms, group therapy, employee break room, and all other upper level office spaces.

Sourcing Donated Materials and Furniture

Designs 4 Dignity relies heavily on donated materials and furnishings for each project. I worked with industry vendor partners to seek donations from flooring to furniture, through the final accessories. For any vendor unable to donate physical goods, I negotiated substantial discounts for our client to purchase furniture and materials at a heavily discounted rate. It was a unique challenge to create a cohesive design while being limited to donated goods and discounted materials.

The Drop-In Center

As part of phase 1, we focused on the lower level Drop-In center and new private Clinician offices. The Josselyn Center board wanted to offer a space for patients to feel free to come to at any time with no appointment necessary. The Drop-In center is multi-functional, with an area for private reflection, a place to use the computers to search for jobs, a gathering space for group classes, and a counselor available for emergency sessions.

The Drop-In Center is to serve as a safe place, and a home-away-from-home for patients.