ALPENA — The Northern Michigan Opioid Response Consortium (NMORC), a federal grant funded program under the Michigan Center for Rural Health, is sponsoring a jail release simulation event in Alpena on Feb. 18, according to a Tuesday press release.

The committee of organizations bringing the jail release simulation to Alpena includes NMORC, the Iosco Regional Education Service Agency, the Northeast Michigan Recovery Care Network, and Offender Success Reentry Services.

The simulations will give participants a first-hand encounter with the obstacles that individuals face when navigating life after incarceration.

The simulation will involve the role of volunteers and participants. Volunteers will be the “people behind the counter” running 14 stations representing everyday life, like social services, work, travel, shops, rent, and transportation.

Participants will assume the identity of someone newly released from incarceration. They will be given a storyline listing the amount of time spent incarcerated, their education level, living arrangements to which they will return, and possessions they may have accumulated or had before incarceration.

To walk in the shoes of one released from serving their time gives invaluable insight, both for professionals who are tasked with helping those individuals achieve a successful reentry as well as community members who want to better understand this dynamic, the press release stated.

There is no cost to attend the event. However, the simulation is dependent on all those who sign up to be in attendance. If you are not able to make it, you are advised to find a fill-in for your seat. Seating is limited but registration remains open until the maximum seating is reached.

Registration is open through the link lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/d96nqsg or by scanning the QR code above.

The simulation will be held on Feb. 18 with a snow date on Feb. 25. It will take place at Alpena Community College on 667 Johnson St. in the Center Building, rooms 104 and 106 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

A soup and sandwich lunch will be served.

Contact Mandi McDonald at mmcdonald@ioscoresa.net with questions.