Community Education

Homelessness, poverty, substance use, addictions, mental health crisis, barriers to health care access, experiencing trauma — such as abuse or barriers to care — and engagement with the criminal justice system are all interrelated. Yet, stigma about mental health and addictions often impacts a person's willingness to get care, and influences the care they receive, systemic policies, and funding for services.

In addition to collecting self-empowerment tools from local agencies, such as safety planning, budgeting and other education, the Task Force will provide key education about disparately impacted people and populations, including, but not limited to topics such as:

• Understanding the impacts of homelessness and poverty on the brain, and what supports are needed to reverse those impacts
• Understanding the cycle of addiction
• Understanding dual diagnosis and intersectional barriers
• Recovery-friendly and inclusive workplaces
• Knowledge about trauma-informed approaches

In addition, the Task Force will create a lived experience storytelling campaign focused on stories of recovery and resilience. Lived experience storytelling is known to be both a powerful recovery and community prevention strategy. Here, the Task Force will promote education about topics told directly from the perspective of people with lived experience.

Look for this education to be available in late October and early November 2026, with the Lived Experience Storytelling campaign starting in February 2027.