SMC provides advanced sexual and reproductive health services

Sawtooth Mountain Clinic (SMC) aims to reach more Cook County residents with expanded sexual and reproductive health services. The move comes as the clinic received a grant from the Minnesota Department of Health to do just that.

Outreach coordinator Liv Thompson said the grant will provide the clinic with additional funding for sexual and reproductive health for four years. In this first year of funding, Thompson said the clinic focused on three things: participating in a nationwide free sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing event, expanding the range of contraceptive options available to clinic patients and improving outreach to seasonal employees of Cook businesses County.

Thompson said free STI testing will take place the week of May 13-17 in coordination with a statewide event. She said testing will take place at both SMC and Grand Portage Human Services. SMC allows visits for testing between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and then 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. on Saturday. Anyone seeking a test at the Grand Portage location must call ahead.

Both locations are testing for chlamydia and gonorrhea. The service is open to both regular and new patients and is confidential. Thompson said the testing is aimed at people who are asymptomatic or have no STI symptoms. She said if someone is experiencing symptoms or is seeking more comprehensive STI screening, they should make an appointment with their doctor. She also said annual screenings for sexually transmitted diseases are recommended for anyone who is sexually active. If you have multiple or new partners, you may want to be tested more often.

The other goals SMC is seeking are to get services up and running, which Thompson said will continue regardless of funding once they are established. She said the clinic will begin offering Nexplanon this summer in an effort to expand contraceptive options. Additionally, the clinic aims to raise awareness of services for seasonal residents, particularly those who come to Cook County as seasonal workers. She said early contact with these individuals means they have a trusted provider to turn to if they have a medical need.

For anyone seeking more information about new efforts to expand sexual and reproductive health services, the STI testing event or general health services, Thompson can call the Sawtooth Mountain clinic at 218-387-2330 or Grand Portage Health Services at 218-475- 2235.

WTIP’s Kirsten Wisniewski spoke with Sawtooth Mountain Clinic Outreach Coordinator Liv Thompson about how the clinic would use recent funding from the Minnesota Department of Health to expand sexual and reproductive health services. Audio of this interview is below.