Centerstone to host three video conferences in April to focus on self-care for parents

MARION, Ill. – Centerstone will host three Parent Peers Empowering Parents (PPEP) meetings via video/telephone in April that will focus on self-care.

With the COVID-19 situation escalating, leading to schools closing, routines changing and so much more, Centerstone is providing these meetings to connect with parents about the importance of self-care during these challenging times.

All parents in Illinois are welcome to attend any or all of the following meetings. Each one will be held from 6 to 8 p.m.:

• Tuesday, April 21 – Please join us by either visiting centerstone.zoom.us/j/974448993 or calling 888-475-4499 or 877-853-5257 and using the meeting ID 974 448 993.
• Tuesday, April 28 – Please join us by either visiting centerstone.zoom.us/j/546810725 or calling 888-475-4499 or 877-853-5257 and using the meeting ID 546 810 725.
• Thursday, April 30 – Please join us by either visiting centerstone.zoom.us/j/638185123 or calling 888-475-4499 or 877-853-5257 and using the meeting ID 638 185 123.

PPEP meetings started in early 2020 and are held regularly to provide support, education and inspiration for Southern Illinois parents. While the meetings are usually held in person throughout the region, they are now being held via video/telephone due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The aim of the group is to empower parents, to allow them to be heard and to provide parent peer support,” said Niki Grajewski, Clinical Manager at Centerstone.

In December, Centerstone announced that it had received a $2.1 million, six-year grant from the Illinois Children’s Healthcare Foundation (ILCHF) to improve the mental health of children and communities throughout Southern Illinois. PPEP was created as a result of the grant.

“Among the goals of this ILCHF-funded programs are to improve parental engagement, decrease caregiver stress, and increase peer-provided services in our project area,” said Grajewski. “PPEP will be provided mostly by parent peer supporters, parents with experience navigating the mental health system. They will support, inform and help parents build their own capacity for supporting their families.

“We wanted to provide multiple options in several communities to make it easy for parents to get involved and decrease transportation barriers,” Grajewski said.

All parents in Southern Illinois are welcome. There is no fee to join and no commitment required to participate.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Brandy Moore at (618) 457-6703, ext. 7772, or brandy.moore@centerstone.org.