Kingsford, Mich (WZMQ) – At Northpointe Behavioral Health’s regular board meeting, concerns over the future of the Forever Friendship Drop-In Center are gathering strong community support, while a number of agencies serving adults with disabilities face potential program cuts.
The center presented its case in contract renewal negotiations with Northpointe’s board members during the meeting. Northpointe Behavioral Healthcare System is now considering contract extension with the Forever Friendship Drop-in Center, located in Kingsford, near the armory.
The Forever Friendship Drop-in center was concerned it would have to close at the end of this year if its contract with Northpointe wasn’t renewed, and concerns were discussed among comissioners during a November Dickinson County Commission meeting, the center has since gained support from the community.
Talitha Nelson, the executive director of Forever Friendship, addressed the board, emphasizing the center’s robust community backing with 165 signatures on a support petition and 50+ support letters from community members. The board is now considering a month-to-month contract extension for negotiation and budget review, a move supported by the center.
“We were given a liaison. So that is a huge progress in our ability to have fair negotiations and have better communication, because that has been a continuous issue,” said Nelson after presenting in the meeting.
Northpointe’s board expressed concerns about the center’s attendance, underscoring the necessity for external funding and continued community support to enhance its programs.
“There are some issues that were brought up with our attendance that we currently do not have solutions to, or we can’t see the same side of the solution,” explained Nelson.
“The attendance is a very big issue. We recognize that it is an issue the last three years, but without a budget to get a website and put out ads, it’s really hard to reach the community, and not all of our members at the center are extremely outgoing or great greeters,” stated Nelson.
Currently, the Forever Friendship Drop-in Center serves around 50 disabled adults with various increased risks for suicide. The center holds various support meetings, including separate monthly veteran support meetings for female and male veterans. The Forever Friendship Drop-in center is run as a peer-to-peer support group. It operates on grant funding, via its association with Northpointe Behavioral Health as its Community Mental Health organization (CMH). Another agency serving adults with disabilities, Trico Opportunities, is also facing program cutbacks. The two agencies have differences in funding mechanisms, with Trico being able to bill medicaid as a fee-for-service.
Nelson further revealed, “It keeps being reiterated that they have no intention of closing us. They are looking at extending our contract because my amazing treasurer found a technicality in our contract that allows us to go month-to-month. That allows us more time for actual negotiations with Northpointe.”
While a liaison has been appointed for improved communication in negotiations, Nelson emphasized challenges in addressing attendance issues without a budget for outreach. She urged media outlets for assistance in spreading the message: “If there’s any TV spots or radio stations or newspapers willing to help us, we’re still looking for external funding to continue and expand our program.”
The board, now better informed about the center’s operations, is keen on resolving issues raised during the meeting. Nelson acknowledged the need for additional data collection to provide the board with necessary numbers for proper funding understanding.
“We’re still in contract with NorthPointe because our previous contract technically has never been broken. We are still under our old budget, considerably larger than our current budget that we’re negotiating now,” explained Nelson. The center seeks ongoing community support to navigate negotiations successfully and ensure its sustainability.
For more information on the Forever Friendship Drop-in Center’s mission, visit is assigned page on the Northpointe website, here:
