What’s it like to rejoin society after homelessness or jail? Simulation helps people find out

It was a no-brainer for Sammie Nunley to have a role in Thursday’s simulation exercise.
Nunley knew her experiences would come in handy at the event intended to provide participants with a better understanding of the difficulties of reengaging with society after experiencing homelessness and/or incarceration. She was once homelessness and has been incarcerated herself.
She knows how hard it is to get back on your feet after a few things do not fall your way. She just was not sure policymakers and social service providers knew this.
“I have the lived experience,” she said. “And I’d like the elected officials to see what it takes to come out of incarceration, then homelessness, then substance abuse. I think they’re hearing what’s going on … but they need to come to these and see what the challenges are.”
Thursday’s simulation, held at the Salt Lake County Government Center, allowed attendees to navigate through the same processes and institutions that those living in homelessness and/or incarceration do: — probation office, office of Medicaid and Medicare, employers, jail, the area shelter and more.
Hosted by Salt Lake County’s Office of Homelessness and Criminal Justice Reform, this simulation was the sixth and final one this year. Organizers estimate that more than 200 social service and criminal justice staff have participated.
Upon arriving at the Salt Lake Government Center, simulation attendees were given a folder with the identity of the person they would role play as. They were also informed of the challenges that individual had to deal with, such as not having enough money to take the bus to meet a case manager or not having a government-issued form of identification but being unable to get a job until you have one.
Participants then had to process how they would get everything they needed to survive and thrive by traveling from table to table, where some staff from various service agencies sat and answered questions, got them what they needed, or informed them they couldn’t help them at all.
“I’m learning it can be overwhelming just to get the basics together,” said Jace Johnson, a participant in the simulation. “And then, just when you think you got something together, life happens … and you have to start all over. I’m trying to imagine what this person is going through. … There’s somebody out there who has faced these challenges.”
Volunteers role-playing as social service and criminal justice staff could the see and hear the mounting frustration from participants. Every time they had to tell someone that they did not have the right identification or enough money to pay rent or the mental health stability to address everything they had to do, the grumbling would start, or tears would well in eyes, or some were getting angry and ready to give up.
And this was only a role play.
“We’re hoping that if a participant is a service provider or work in policy, they see the places where the barriers can be broken down,” said Amy Stocks, from the Office of Homelessness and Criminal Justice Reform. She was an organizer of this year’s simulations. “The processes can be disjointed, and it is difficult to manage. I hope they gain a little empathy and see what these processes actually look like.”
At the completion of the simulation, participants shared their experiences with organizers and each other. Some were shocked at the amount of “stuff” you have to bring with you everywhere. Others understood why individuals would commit crimes if it took so long to get everything you needed, including work.
But every person, all 20-plus, said they believed they learned a lot about the difficulties of trying to reenter society after experiences with homelessness and/or incarceration. They left with a better understanding of what their neighbors are going through, exactly what organizers and volunteers hoped would happen.
“I think the light goes on for a lot of people, that there are deeper issues that need to be dealt with at all levels of government,” said Robert Ferris, a regular volunteer at simulations. His company employs people living in homelessness and folks who have been incarcerated. “I see the value in educating people about this. Leaders in the community need to understand the problems that happen out here and why.”