FOSSTON, Minn. — A four-year effort to bring mental health and substance use disorder services provider Alluma to Fosston is nearing its end with the grand opening of Alluma’s clinic at the Firefly Center for Art and Wellbeing in July.
Heidi Danos, interim director of Firefly, said she couldn’t be more excited about the opening.
“It’s been a long time coming,” she said, “and having Alooma in Fosston is a really needed service.”
The grand opening will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, July 24, at the Firefly Center, 102 S. Kaiser Ave. in Fosston. Light snacks such as yogurt parfaits and root beer floats will be served. Alooma’s 1,200-square-foot office space will be at the end of the art gallery at the front of the building. In addition to embracing Alooma as a tenant, Danos said the Firefly Center is also focusing on its arts and culture ethos.
Though the grand opening won’t be until July, Alluma is already offering services in the building as of Wednesday, June 26, she said. It will be on a limited basis, with about two to three specialty providers available Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and a receptionist available Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Michelle Van Camp, Alluma’s chief marketing and communications officer, said the clinic will start with mental health services such as psychotherapy and family therapy in its soft opening. Once settled, it will also offer medication management, psychiatric treatment, and later substance use disorder services and treatment. Some of Alluma’s services will not be office-focused, such as a homeless team and skill-building providers, with a focus on adult rehabilitative mental health services.
Danos said the beginnings of the Firefly Center began in 2019, when she and several other members of the local arts and culture commission heard that Aluma, which serves northwest Minnesota, was looking for a permanent location in Fosston, and her small group quickly saw an opportunity.
“I definitely saw a light bulb go on above everybody’s heads at that moment,” she said.
They reached out to Alma and began work on building what would become the Firefly Center. Danos said she wanted to focus on reducing the stigma around receiving mental health care. She also wanted the center to be a place where everyone could feel comfortable and accessible. Part of that, she said, would include having an art gallery where people could drop in. The “Firefly portion” of the building is still under construction, but it will also have an arts focus, with a multi-purpose space for art events, classes and other activities in both the arts and wellness realms. Some events have already been held there, including monthly talking circles.
“We’re the kind of people who recognize the healing power of art, whether it’s painting, dance, theater, whatever,” she says, “so we decided to combine it all.”
Two apartment buildings are also being built at the center, both to help keep the center financially viable and provide much-needed housing in the area, she said.
Van Camp said operating in a rural area can be financially challenging, but Alooma is always trying to find ways to be a part of the community and where Alooma’s services can make the most impact. She is grateful for Firefly and the city of Fosston’s openness, and said she wishes there had been a place like the Firefly Center when she was growing up.
“I’m very excited,” she said. “I can’t wait to see how this all unfolds.”
Danos said the community feedback Firefly members have gotten so far already indicates the center and Arooma’s presence will be welcomed. Fosston is a regional health care hub, serving not only the city but the surrounding areas, but it’s lacking in mental health care, he said. People who heard about the project even before construction on the building began opened up about the struggles they or their family and friends are facing. Danos said he’s amazed at how Firefly is already playing a role in helping people talk about their issues, even without a physical presence.
“There were very few of these services in Fosston,” she said, “and we couldn’t be happier that (Alma) is finally opening.”
For more information about the Firefly Center, please visit their official website at https://www.fireflycenter.org/. For more information about Alluma, please visit their official website at https://allumacares.org/.
Contributor / Heidi Danos
