The Cowlitz Indian Tribe announced it is the official owner of Columbia River Mental Health Services’ NorthStar Clinic, settling negotiations that began after the nonprofit faced financial difficulties. The tribe’s ownership became effective as of February 1, with no expected interruption to patient care.
Cowlitz Indian Tribe Chairman Bill Iyall stated: “The history of our tribe has always been shaped by our responsibility to care for our people, our lands and our neighbors. As Seekers of the Medicine Spirit, we are guided by values that center healing, respect and stewardship. Bringing NorthStar into our Health & Human Services network strengthens our ability to serve the community and support healing across the region for generations to come.”
Services and Operations
NorthStar, located at 7105 N.E. 40th St., Vancouver, will continue to provide addiction treatment services under Cowlitz ownership. Daniel Smith, CEO of Columbia River Mental Health Services, said the transfer highlights the impact of the tribe’s leadership in the region: “Transferring the NorthStar Clinic to the Cowlitz Indian Tribe allows people in our community to continue to thrive, recover and build resiliency alongside one of the most dedicated community organizations that we work with in the area.” Columbia River Mental Health Services will continue to provide a full range of mental health, addiction, psychiatry, and community-based services at its main clinic, located at 6926 N.E. Fourth Plain Blvd., Vancouver.
Previous Financial Crisis
In March, financial woes forced Columbia River Mental Health Services to suddenly suspend operations, leaving thousands of people who rely on the organization for counseling and psychiatric treatment with few answers. Southwest Washington’s oldest behavioral health provider serves 5,000 people each year. The agency’s financial challenges were due to a reimbursement-based payee system, with billing inefficiencies, a larger number of insurance claim denials, and an increased gap between billing and payment affecting the organization.
In April, the Cowlitz Tribal Foundation allocated $1.6 million in emergency funding to support Columbia River Mental Health Services. In July, the organizations announced their intent to transition NorthStar’s programs and operations, but later agreed to an “alternative framework” that involved transferring only the NorthStar Clinic while Columbia River Mental Health Services continued to operate independently.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.columbian.com/news/2026/feb/13/cowlitz-indian-tribe-now-official-owner-of-northstar-clinic/