Sawtooth Mountain Clinic seeks community input on mental health, substance use services

Sawtooth Mountain Clinic is holding a series of listening sessions as it begins a community health needs assessment focused on mental health and substance use services.

The clinic received a Behavioral Health Expansion grant and is using a portion of the funding to conduct the assessment. The project is expected to produce:

• A comprehensive assessment of mental health and substance use needs in Cook County, including comparisons with other rural communities.
• Actionable data to guide future service development and investment
• An ongoing planning committee, facilitated by the National Rural Health Resource Center, to prioritize and implement recommendations.

“We’ve been fortunate to have several community needs assessments completed in Cook County over the past few years. The County Public Health Department conducts a required county-wide assessment every five years. While it provides valuable information, its broad scope doesn’t always offer the level of detail needed for healthcare planning and decision-making,” clinic CEO Kate Surbaugh told WTIP.

The clinic is seeking community members to participate in conversations about mental health and substance use services in Cook County.

Six listening sessions are scheduled throughout November:

• Nov. 16, 1 p.m.: The Hub
• Nov. 17, 10 a.m.: Grand Portage Community Center
• Nov. 18, 9 a.m.: Hovland Lutheran Church
• Nov. 19, 11 a.m.: North Shore Area Partners, Silver Bay
• Nov. 23, 4:30 p.m.: Lutsen Town Hall
• Nov. 24, 4 p.m.: Schaap Community Center

The assessment is being conducted in partnership with the National Rural Health Resource Center.

Sawtooth Mountain Clinic and North Shore Health previously conducted a health care assessment in 2024 and presented their findings in spring 2025. The organizations also worked with Rural Health Innovations, a subsidiary of the National Rural Health Resource Center, on that assessment.

The previous assessment led to the creation of the Thrive Together website, developed and supported by Cook County Public Health and Human Services.

Josh Hinke November 10, 2026