Centerstone hosts poverty simulation

Centerstone, a national leader in behavioral health care, recently hosted a poverty simulation and resource fair. Nearly 100 people participated in the event, which was held at Kokopelli Banquet Hall in Marion.

“The simulation was a huge success, with nearly 100 people participating from numerous agencies, businesses and organizations,” said Angela Quigley-Ragland, clinical coordinator at Centerstone and organizer of the event.

The simulation involves participants taking on roles of families facing a variety of challenging, but typical, circumstances, as well as roles of community resource providers. Some of the scenarios, provided by the Community Action Poverty Simulation, included:

• A single parent with limited resources and no transportation must find a way to get to work and get their child to daycare
• An elderly person must find a way to pay for both utilities and medication
• A young adult must care for siblings while their parent is incarcerated
• An elderly couple must raise their grandchildren and deal with their own health and employment issues

“The simulation allowed participants to walk in the shoes of someone who is facing poverty and realize how complex and interconnected issues of poverty really are,” Quigley-Ragland said. “The event helps break down stereotypes of those experiencing poverty by having the participants momentarily experience the challenges that poverty creates.”

After the scenarios were complete, participants discussed what they learned about the trials that millions of low income people encounter each day and what areas of change that can help those experiencing poverty.

This training is sponsored by Centerstone’s Connections: Home, Recovery and Community program.

“Connections’ aim is to help individuals experiencing homelessness and substance use disorders or co-occurring disorders in Franklin, Jackson, Union and Williamson counties,” said Quigley-Ragland.

Connections provides outreach and housing navigation using a “housing first” approach that focuses on providing housing as a top priority without precondition or service participation requirements.

Connections also provides:

• Evidence-based treatment.
• Case management.
• Direct SUD, COD, and trauma treatment.
• Recovery housing.
• Assess to federal income supports.
• Screenings and assessments.
• 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 engagement and enrollment; and education and counseling on hepatitis treatment, sexually transmitted infection and HIV screening.

For more information about Connections, visit https://bit.ly/CstoneCXN.