Bergmann Center

04/29/2026

🌟 Community Update – April 30 Provider Meeting

Tomorrow’s meeting between day program providers and NCCMH board members will move forward as planned at 11:30 AM here at the Bergmann Center. This meeting was created to focus on stability, continuity, and the needs of the individuals and families who rely on these services every single day. ❤️

NCCMH leadership has informed us that they will not be attending. While this is disappointing, it will not stop the providers and board representatives who are attending from having the conversation our community has been asking for — and deserves. 💪

Our commitment has not changed. We will continue to show up, continue to speak openly, and continue pushing for clarity, transparency, and solutions. Families have carried far too much uncertainty for far too long, and we refuse to let that uncertainty silence the conversations that need to happen. 💙

After the meeting, we will share a summary of the key themes and questions discussed so our community stays fully informed. 📄✨

Thank you for standing with us, for raising your voices, and for reminding everyone involved that the people we serve are not numbers, contracts, or line items — they are human beings who deserve stability, dignity, and a system that works for them. 🌟🤝

04/21/2026

📢 Important Update from Bergmann Center

On April 16, Bergmann Center formally served a 30‑day Notice of Termination of Services to North Country Community Mental Health. As it stands today, services are scheduled to end on May 16, 2026, due to years of systemic failures and instability within NCCMH that made sustainable services impossible.

NCCMH has agreed to meet with all four regional providers on April 30.
👉 If — and only if — that meeting results in meaningful, concrete, immediate change that could keep Bergmann open, then community support through donations will be essential for us to continue.

Because here is the truth:

💙 Public funding covers only part of what it takes to operate.
The rest — the programs, the transportation, the community inclusion, the dignity‑centered supports — is made possible through donations, grants, and the people who believe in this mission.

And now, after what we witnessed on April 16, we need to say this clearly:

✨ The crowd that showed up for Bergmann was extraordinary. Your voices were powerful. Your presence mattered.
But our individuals need that same energy — that same courage, that same unity — every single day, not just in moments of crisis.

And this is the moment for our community to stand firm, stand loud, and stand all the way in — 10 toes down — for what matters.
Not halfway. Not quietly. Not when it’s convenient.
All in. Every day. For the people who rely on us.

That is the legacy of Lillian Bergmann:
💪 Stand tall in the face of adversity.
🤝 Support your community.
💙 Fund what matters.

We will walk into the April 30 meeting with every fact, every document, and every ounce of advocacy we have. There will be no false promises and no false hope — only truth, transparency, and unwavering commitment to the people we serve.

Thank you for standing with us. Your support matters now more than ever.

04/16/2026

Reminder! See you tomorrow!

04/14/2026

**🔥 PUBLIC POST — PLEASE SHARE 🔥**

📢 **The Bergmann Center will be CLOSED this Thursday** so our team, individuals, families, and community members can attend the NCCMH Board Meeting.

Over the past several months, providers across our region have raised serious concerns about ⏳ **funding delays**, 💵 **wage passthrough issues**, and the long‑term sustainability of essential services. These concerns directly affect individuals, families, and the stability of community supports.

As of this week:

💰 **NCCMH owes the Bergmann Center $92,000** for services we have already provided.
❗ This does **not** include the **$50,000 per provider** that was intended to be distributed at the start of the fiscal year.

These are **public dollars** meant to support people with disabilities — and the community deserves **transparency** about how these funds are being managed.

We are encouraging families, guardians, community members, and anyone who cares about the future of services in Northern Michigan to attend the NCCMH Board Meeting:

📅 **Thursday, April 16, 2026**
🕝 **2:30 PM**
📍 **1420 Plaza Drive, Board Room | Petoskey, MI**

🗣️ **Public comment is limited to 3 minutes per person**, but your presence in the room matters just as much as your words.

If you cannot attend, we can **read your statement** on your behalf, though the **strongest impact comes when you speak for yourself**.

This is a critical moment for **transparency**, **accountability**, and the future of services in our region.
Your voice matters. Your presence matters. Our community matters. ❤️

04/12/2026

Reminder!

04/10/2026

**📣💙 IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FOR BERGMANN FAMILIES & SUPPORTERS 💛📣**

We are inviting all **individuals, families, guardians, and support people** to an **urgent information meeting** about the future of services at Bergmann Center.

Over the past several months, Bergmann Center and other regional providers have raised serious concerns about **North Country Community Mental Health (NCCMH)** — including:

⚠️ **Direct Care Worker Wage Passthrough issues**
⚠️ **Rate practices that threaten long‑term sustainability**
⚠️ **Non‑responsiveness to formal grievances**
⚠️ **Decisions that directly impact individuals with disabilities**

These issues affect the **stability, safety, and continuity** of the services your loved ones rely on every day.

At this meeting, we will share:

🔹 What the **State of Michigan’s DCW Wage Passthrough** is and how it’s supposed to work
🔹 A **timeline of State‑authorized funding increases**
🔹 How current **NCCMH rate practices** impact staffing & programming
🔹 Documented **governance concerns** and lack of response
🔹 **Evidence and documentation** so families can see the facts themselves
🔹 How YOU can help advocate for the people we serve

**📅 FAMILY & GUARDIAN INFORMATION MEETING**
🗓 **Monday, April 13, 2026**
⏰ **5:30 PM**
📍 **In‑Person at Bergmann Center**
💻 **Remote attendance available**
➡️ *Please message us directly or call the office to receive the TEAMS link.*

Your voice matters. Your presence matters.
Together, we can ensure that the needs of the individuals we serve remain at the center of every decision.

Thank you for standing with us.
**💙 Be The Impact. 💛**

04/06/2026

Come grab coffee with us from 11-1pm today!!

📢 April 6th- April 11th Schedule Alert 📢

Monday- BC Lanes 6:30am-9:30am, Bergmann Center Charlevoix 11am-1pm

Tuesday- BC Lanes 6:30am- 9am, Classic Instruments 9:30am-11:30am (everyone welcome), NMI lunch 12-12:30pm

Wednesday- BC Lanes 6:30am- 12pm

Thursday- BC Lanes 6:30am- 12pm, 1pm-2:30pm

Friday- BC Lanes 6:30am- 12pm, 1-2:30pm

Saturday- Boyne City Field House 7am-3pm (Tip of the Mitt Shoreline Classic fundraiser 🥳)

03/27/2026

🎙️ WMKT Talk of the North — Episode 818
📻 All Four Providers. One Unified Message.

Today, all four contracted providers came together on Talk of the North with Nick Rhudy to speak openly about the urgent challenges facing disability services in our region and the concerns outlined in our recent media request.

A huge thank you to Nick 🙏 for hosting us, giving providers a voice, and making space for this critical conversation.

🕒 Our interview begins at minute 21
📄 Episode 818 — WMKT Talk of the North

This discussion matters:
⚠️ Providers cannot sustain the system under current conditions
⚠️ Services face major cuts or closures in months, not years
⚠️ There are no alternative services waiting to step in

This is transparency.
This is unity.
This is advocacy in action.

💙 This is the moment to .

Tune In!

03/27/2026

📺 Follow‑Up: 9&10 News Coverage & Why Your Voice Still Matters

On March 19, 9&10 News aired a segment highlighting the challenges facing community mental health providers across Northern Michigan. Bergmann Center was present at the NCCMH Board meeting, and many of you saw our earlier post asking for community support as we spoke openly about the realities providers are facing.

We are grateful for the coverage from 9&10 News last week, and today we continued that conversation on WMKT’s Talk of the North, where all four contracted providers spoke together about the urgent concerns facing our region. We will share that interview as soon as it becomes available.

Today, we’re formally sharing the 9&10 News story — because this conversation cannot end here.

For more than 60 years, Bergmann Center has served Charlevoix and the surrounding communities. 🌟
We are a legacy organization — a pioneer in creating opportunities, inclusion, and meaningful change for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Our roots are deep, and our commitment to this community has never wavered.

During the meeting, Ed Ginop, Board Chair of North Country CMH, stated:
💬 “We seem to be able to find all kinds of money for war — but not for this.”

The article also noted that administrators assured providers they could “sleep soundly” and feel confident in the security of their funding.
We intend to hold NCCMH to those assurances — because the reality providers are facing tells a very different story.

This week, NCCMH presented a rate increase.
But like every “increase” before it, the numbers do not cover the actual cost of providing services. Providers are still left absorbing unfunded mandates, rising wages, and inflationary pressures — a model that is simply not sustainable.

And here is the truth the community needs to hear:

🔥 Providers will be forced to close or make major service cuts in months — not years — if nothing changes.
🔥 There are no alternative services waiting in the wings.
🔥 North Country CMH cannot contract with itself to replace us.

If this network collapses, there is no backup plan. The individuals we serve will simply be left without the supports they rely on every day.

At the Board meeting, Bergmann Center shared:
💬 “Providers are aligned, communicating, and standing together. We are united in what we are seeing, and united in what must change.”
— Keri Laporte‑Montero, CEO, Bergmann Center

And we are not alone.
💼 Crossroads Industries, Grand Traverse Industries, and Straits Area Services have all posted publicly in recent days, raising the same alarms and calling attention to the same systemic issues.

Here is the full 9&10 News report from March 19:

🔗 Watch the story:
https://www.910news.com/2026/03/20/northern-michigan-mental-health-providers-say-theyre-considering-service-cuts/

While the segment highlights some hopeful conversations, the reality is unchanged:
📌 NCCMH has a duty to this community — and providers need them to fulfill it.
The individuals we serve deserve stability, transparency, and a system that supports their needs.

This is the moment when community voices matter most.

📣 Share this post
📣 Contact your local representatives
📣 Attend NCCMH Board meetings
📣 Ask questions and respectfully demand change

Because this isn’t just about funding.
It’s about people.
It’s about dignity.
It’s about ensuring that no one in our community loses access to the supports they rely on.

💙 We need you with us — now more than ever.
💙 This is the moment to .

03/17/2026

📣✨ COMMUNITY SUPPORT NEEDED — BE THE IMPACT ✨📣
Our local disability service providers show up every single day for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across northern Michigan. This Thursday, the North Country Community Mental Health Board is holding its regular public meeting — and we’d love to have families, guardians, community members, and supporters in the room with us.

Your presence matters.
Your voice matters.
YOU are how we Be the Impact. 💙

🗓 Date: Thursday, March 19
⏰ Time: 2:30 PM
📍 Location: NCCMH Petoskey Office — Board Room
1420 Plaza Drive, Petoskey, MI

Public meetings are open to everyone. Having familiar, supportive faces in the room means so much to the individuals and providers who dedicate their lives to this work. 💛

If you can attend, we’d be grateful.
If you can’t, sharing this post helps more than you know. 🔄

Thank you for standing with us, supporting our mission, and choosing to Be the Impact in our community. 🌟