In memory of Sylvan C. “Chic” Herman (June 19, 1927 – October 21, 2024)

By Dr. Mike Knable

I first met Sylvan “Chic” Herman (pictured left) in 2007 when I was working at the Stanley Medical Research Institute (SMRI), which provided grant funding for research on mental illnesses. Chic called and told me he wanted advice on how he might assist with these efforts, since he had recently formed the Sylvan C. Herman Foundation. Chic was motivated to do this because he had devoted so much time and energy to seeking good care for his son John, only to find, as is the case with so many families, that meaningful improvement and consistent care for a son with schizophrenia was not easy to find.

I was happy to join Chic in this endeavor; I told him about some of the interesting academic research projects that I had seen, and Chic decided to support some of them. These included ambitious scientific projects at Harvard, MIT, and other prominent universities. While we studied these proposals together, I was immediately impressed by his probing questions, his remarkable memory for the smallest details, his curiosity, and his compassion. These qualities were especially impressive in that he had already celebrated his 80th birthday by that time.

A few years later, Chic impressed me even more when he called to say something I’ve rarely heard other philanthropists say: he said that despite the prominence of the scientists we’d supported, he wasn’t sure that any of their efforts would help people suffering from mental illnesses during his lifetime. He wanted to explore projects that would directly benefit people currently suffering from these psychiatric illnesses. He wanted to help improve our fragmented and disorganized system of psychiatric care.

We decided to develop a therapeutic community where people with mental illnesses could get great treatment, have a peer group, develop a sense of purpose in life, and hopefully, learn to live as independently as possible. 

We spent considerable time looking at real estate, developing a business and therapeutic plan, and, finally, Clearview Communities, in Frederick, Maryland was born. It gave Chic great pleasure that the name Clearview was first proposed by John Herman. Since 2011 and to this day, Clearview has grown to become a state-of -the-art rehabilitation facility with 36 beds. We have helped hundreds of patients find a new path in life. It has been my honor to be affiliated with Chic in this work, and I have to say: it has been the most deeply satisfying experience of my professional career.

Chic also set up the John E. Herman house at the Mayo Clinic, which will serve up to 20 patients based on the Clearview model. Additionally, Chic established the John E. Herman Outpatient Behavioral Health Suite at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. Chic was a major donor of TAC, contributing more than $1.4 million between 2007 and the time of his passing.

I will always cherish my memories of work with Chic and will hold him up as an example to others. He transformed his own suffering and hardships into efforts to alleviate the suffering of others. Chic had a remarkable ability to address the urgent challenges in mental health care that we face today. Chic is and will be greatly missed, his legacy will endure for future generations of those impacted by SMI.

Dr. Mike Knable, DO, DFAPA is the medical director for ClearView Communities and president of TAC’s board of directors.