Centerstone Receives Grant from Ameren for Clients in Need

• 

• 

Centerstone, a national leader in behavioral health care, received a $2,500 grant from Ameren Illinois to help address Centerstone clients’ basic needs and set them up for treatments. That can include helping with temporary shelter; transportation to treatment, jobs and medical appointments; non-perishable food, and more.

“Many members of the community – individuals and families – who come to Centerstone for help are homeless, hungry, and without transportation or phones, in addition to suffering from mental health or substance use disorders. Prior to making any progress in treatment, basic needs must be met,” said Erin Camfield, Centerstone’s director of advancement.

“Thanks to funding from this grant, we’re able to help meet these basic needs for our clients and homeless individuals, which in turn benefits our community as a whole. When we provide services to assist the homeless, we are not just changing the life of one person, we are forever changing the lives of families.”

Centerstone is a nonprofit health system providing mental health and substance use disorder treatments.

“Centerstone is providing critical services to those in our community who need it most,” said Jason Klein, regional director of Electric Operations for Ameren Illinois. “We are proud to support their efforts as they bring hope and healing to those in need.”

Centerstone’s mission is delivering care that changes people’s lives. That mission is achieved through a robust offering of services and programs, including (but not limited to):

• Mental health counseling.
• Addiction recovery.
• Children and family services.
• Residential care.
• Crisis services.
• Intellectual and developmental disabilities services.
• Therapeutic foster care.

Centerstone Connections helps individuals – including youth – who are experiencing homelessness and substance use disorders (SUD) or co-occurring disorders (COD) in Franklin, Jackson, Union and Williamson counties.

“Many times, with limited resources in the communities served, there is a period where many of those individuals are living on the streets. Supplies for clients to give them temporary shelter; transportation to treatment, jobs and medical appointments; non-perishable food; and means of communication would reduce many barriers during this transitional period,” said Angela Quigley-Ragland, Centerstone’s Connections clinical coordinator.

“Connections staff are committed to reaching those experiencing homelessness and connecting them to services, and will deliver the items purchased by this grant to them.”

Staff will also follow up with those in need. Centerstone provides these services year round as funds are available to those in need.

Connections’ services include:

• Community outreach.
• Housing services, including recovery housing and help obtaining temporary shelter until permanent housing can be obtained.
• Assistance with transportation, obtaining IDs, searching for employment, regaining custody of their children, and more.
• Linkages to resources such as food pantries, GED or college enrollment, and other resources to provide for clients and their families.
• Skill building, including life and parenting skills.
• Case management.
• Evidence-based direct SUD, COD and trauma treatment.
• Access to federal income support.
• Individualized and integrated substance use treatment and planning.
• Linkages to primary and specialty care.
• Peer and wraparound recovery supports such as employment and education services, benefits engagements and enrollment, hepatitis/sexually transmitted infection/HIV screening, education and counseling.

“Our mission is to deliver care that changes people’s lives,” Quigley-Ragland said. “Offering the care that homeless individuals need and providing not only temporary relief for their situation but also the care to help them permanently find a home is exactly what our mission is about – changing people’s lives.”

Centerstone and its Connections program treats the whole person.

“Not only does Centerstone provide the necessary tools to provide relief and help these individuals find a home, but we also provide the care that puts them in the position to keep that home by helping them obtain a job and/or education,” Quigley-Ragland said.

Connections has helped establish ten permanent housing units specifically for homeless individuals and families in Southern Illinois.

“Many have a washer and dryer for the first time in their lives,” Quigley-Ragland said. “Their children are able to run around in a yard, playing safely and enjoying childhood.

“When the individuals we have helped walk through the door of their new home, they have been brought to tears, have kissed the floors, and are always so grateful for the help.”