Local resident tells council ban from Henson Place harmed sobriety supports
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Summary
A Champaign resident said she was issued a trespass order from Henson Place and warned that restricting access to meetings and recovery supports can impede people trying to remain sober.
At the public‑comment portion of the Feb. 8 Champaign City Council meeting, a woman who identified herself only as Josie described being banned from a meeting at a local facility she named as Henson Place and said the restriction harmed her ability to access recovery supports.
"I am an alcoholic," Josie said, describing a multi‑year struggle with sobriety and saying she relies on Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and other local supports. She said she was issued a trespassing order and that limiting who can attend meetings at the facility excludes people who need recovery supports.
Josie spoke at length about her efforts to remain sober and about local fellowship meetings that helped her; she urged the council and community to consider how bans and exclusions affect people trying to stay sober. The meeting record does not show any follow‑up action by the council regarding Henson Place or trespass determinations.
Speaker and context
- Josie (public commenter) — described being banned from a facility she identified as Henson Place and said exclusion from meetings threatened her sobriety.
No formal action or staff response was recorded on the matter during the meeting.
