Parent empowerment sessions go virtual in April

Centerstone, a national leader in behavioral health care, will host three virtual Parent Peers Empowering Parents meetings that focus on self care this month.

With the number of COVID-19 cases growing, schools closed, routines changing and much more, the meetings are to connect with parents about the importance of self-care during these challenging times.

Everyone is welcome to join and there is no fee. Each event will be held from 6-8 p.m.

Tuesday, April 21: Watch the meeting by visiting centerstone.zoom.us/j/974448993. Or, join by telephone at (888) 475-4499 or (877) 853-5257 and use the meeting ID 974 448 993.

Tuesday, April 28: Watch the meeting by visiting centerstone.zoom.us/j/546810725. Or, join by telephone at (888) 475-4499 or (877) 853-5257 and use the meeting ID 546 810 725.

Thursday, April 30: Watch the meeting by visiting centerstone.zoom.us/j/638185123. Or, join by telephone at (888) 475-4499 or (877) 853-5257 and use the meeting ID 638 185 123.

PPEP meetings started earlier this year and are held regularly to provide support, education and inspiration for all 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 pandemic.

"The aim 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 is one of the results of the grant.

"Among the goals 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.

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