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Marrakech - The History
It began with a song and a promise, as the Age of Aquarius ushered in a new decade of the 1970's. The song talked about a journey and a vision.
"Looking at the world through the sunset in your eyes.
Sweeping cobwebs from the edges of my mind,
Had to get away to see what we could find.
Hope the days that lie ahead
Bring us back to where they've led.
Listen not to what's been said to you.
Don't you know we're riding on the Marrakesh Express?"©1969 Siquomb Music, Inc.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Marrakech, Inc. began, as did the 1970’s, with a flight of fancy, a dream and a plan. It was a crusade to prove a point, the brainchild of two young Yale undergraduates. Susan Waisbren and Francie Brody were the founders of Marrakech, Inc. But Marrakech began even before the two decided that New Haven needed a halfway house for young women with retardation and even before they had crystallized their belief that any individual with retardation who had a desire to live in the community also had the right to. It began even before they developed the concept of a halfway house or transitional group home that could provide the necessary environment to let that happen.
It really began with a young woman named Valerie Chain. Susan had met Valerie through Yale Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the New Haven Regional Center that has long since closed. Susan and Francie came to know Valerie’s friends as well. They soon realized how capable these young New Haven women with mild mental retardation were, and how they would thrive in a halfway house. There were no halfway houses in Connecticut then. The New Haven Regional Center had been trying to begin a group home for five years. Administrative problems and a lack of funds thwarted their attempts. But the movement away from institutionalization had already taken hold, philosophically. And if Marrakech has come to represent a journey, the journey back to the community had already begun.
Susan and Francie were young, idealistic and naive. But they were unencumbered by any foreknowledge of the frustration and bureaucracy they would be facing. They thought it was simple: New Haven needed a halfway house and they would start one. With the guidance of the Regional Center staff and Dr. Seymour Sarason of the Yale Psycho-Educational Clinic, they did just that. Marrakech House opened as a summer pilot program on June 20, 1971, after three months of careful preparation. Eight young women, including Valerie, spent the summer in a sublet, supervised apartment on Crown Street.
Today Marrakech, Inc. is a private, nonprofit corporation serving over 1,400 men, women, and children who face mental, economic, physical, and psychiatric barriers, through a range of programs designed to meet housing, employment, training, and community participation needs. Supported by a staff of almost 600, Marrakech, Inc. offers case management and advocacy; family support services; highly individualized independent living support services; sixteen state-licensed group homes; employment programs; community programs; and safe, affordable, accessible housing. With programs and services located throughout the state of Connecticut, the focus of the organization has expanded to support people with behavioral health issues; individuals with challenging behaviors; families with complex needs; adults who are considering recovery from addictions; people who are homeless, un-employed, and under-employed; families of low income; and at risk youth and students.
In 1971, the Marrakech pilot was as much of a learning experience for the directors and the community as it was for the young women, some of whom had never washed their own hair, prepared a meal, or taken a bus - basic, normal life experiences. That first summer there were unexpected predicaments and obstacles, as well as moments of profound joy. They formed an advisory board and a parent group, and developed programs to teach the residents the social, vocational, and academic skills vital to managing a household.
“Dr. Sarason proved to be our staunchest ally and yet our most critical observer,” said Susan. “He visited the Halfway House, attended meetings with parents, the Board of Directors, and community agencies. He wrote critical letters of support; he listened to our smallest problems, and he helped immeasurably whenever we needed him.” Others from Yale and New Haven volunteered in various capacities. “We always relied on volunteers,” said Francie. Walter Wagoner of the New Haven Legal Assistance helped them incorporate as a tax-exempt nonprofit corporation. Others helped them develop and deliver programs, apply for grants, and plan for new houses. Yet, she admitted, “I don’t think Susan and I had the vision of Marrakech’s future. We were very present tense, busy proving it could be done.”
After that first summer, planning for implementation of Phase II of Marrakech began. Various apartments were rented, beginning in the fall of 1971.
Marrakech, Inc. began to be funded by the State Department of Social Services and the Department of Mental Retardation. Marrakech’s first purchased home was on Sherman Avenue. It was sold in 1985 and three other homes were leased. Today, Marrakech operates 16 group homes and supports over 70 people in apartments throughout Connecticut. Marrakech aggressively works to develop alternate living arrangements to group homes and traditional supported living programs. To this end, the organization has established community training models, companion programs, shared living, and family support models. With a daunting community need for safe, affordable housing, Marrakech continues to acquire and modify residential property throughout the state.
Founded as a halfway house, Marrakech, Inc. continued its focus primarily as a residential organization during the ‘80’s although it soon began to develop employment and community programs funded by the Department of Mental Retardation. The Work Services program, funded by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, started in 1988 to assist people with psychiatric disabilities in their employment efforts. In the 90’s, the organization opened centers in New Milford and Cheshire to offer community experience and employment services complementing the New Haven area programs. During 2003, Marrakech continued to focus on furthering its work with individuals with autism in its specialized day programs. The Academy for Human Service Training continues to operate in three sites - New Haven, Bridgeport, and Waterbury. Almost 800 people have graduated from the Academy to date.
Marrakech continues to be a leader in the provision of employment services to persons with co-occurring disorders (mental illness and substance abuse) who are homeless in greater New Haven. In 2005, Marrakech began to provide supported employment services to individuals with psychiatric disabilities in the Stamford area. This service is an evidence-based model and the employment case managers are integrated on the clinical teams at the DuBois Center, a State-run local mental health authority. Additionally, we are pleased that the model also relies on the promising practice of having peer workers on the team.
Ever cognizant of the need to provide public education, through the “Marrakech Expressions” talk show on Citizens Television, the organization addresses issues that surround people with disabilities and other human services. “Marrakech Expressions” will be replicated in the Bridgeport and Stamford areas and will focus on micro-businesses and self-employment by people with psychiatric disabilities. This is a component of the Marrakech Technical Assistance Center (TAC) to individuals with psychiatric disabilities who are interested in learning to run their own businesses. The TAC is funded by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
Marrakech services to families, children, and youth are a growing program area. In December 2004, Marrakech was selected to provide case management services to families residing in a New Haven housing project managed by the Housing Authority of New Haven. The project is part of a federal initiative called Hope VI that is aimed at eliminating blighted housing and building new mixed income housing projects. More than 150 families are served through this endeavor. Additionally, we began to provide functional respite services to children with autism in a collaborative project with the Connecticut Center for Child Development (CCCD). We expect to expand this program area as well as other services to children and youth throughout the state during the coming years.
One of Marrakech, Inc.’s goals has always been normalization, achieving a level of independence that would allow all people to become more a part of the community. Many years ago Susan said, “Normalization does not mean merely adjusting to society’s norms. It means educating the community to expand its definition of ‘normal.’”
Yet, after the first summer of Marrakech, she added, “We never really wanted normalization. We wanted something better. Too often, normalcy in our society means conformity and compromise. We strove for consciousness, tolerance, and imagination.”
To Susan’s and Francie’s goals, Marrakech has remained true.
...living together as a purposeful experience by which everyone gains a deeper understanding of
themselves and others...mutual support...a communal spirit of trust and affection...
Today, presence and participation in the community is measured by the existence of a relationship between the people we serve and their neighbors, coworkers, family, friends, and acquaintances. This reflects the values upon which this organization is founded. For those ideals and their simple spirit of doing what needed to be done, Marrakech salutes its founders, Susan Waisbren and Frances Brody and their mentor, Dr. Seymour Sarason.
