The International Standards for Clubhouse Programs, the set of best
practices consensually agreed upon by the worldwide clubhouse community, define the clubhouse model of psychiatric rehabilitation. The Standards are based on the values and principles that have for a long time driven the clubhouse community to excel in its work of helping men and women with serious mental illness stay out of hospitals and asylums, and achieve socially, financially, and vocationally viable lives. While describing and elucidating the major principles of the clubhouse model, the Standards also serve as a kind of "bill of rights" for clubhouse members, insisting on services that offer respect and opportunity for people with mental illness.

The International Standards for Clubhouse Programs provide a basis for assessing the quality of clubhouse practice. Not a static document, the Standards are reviewed and amended (when deemed necessary) every two years, through a dynamic, participatory and consensus building process. The process is coordinated by the ICCD Standards Review Committee, comprised of a representative group of members and staff from strong clubhouses around the world.