Aspirus Lake View Hospital Honored for Mental Health Education at Statewide Health Care Awards

Forty teams and individuals from across Minnesota were recognized last week by the Minnesota Hospital Association (MHA) for their contri­butions to strengthening health care in the state. The awards, presented during MHA’s Annual Meeting on September 22, celebrated achieve­ments in sustainability, quality and safety, innovation, and community impact.

Among the honorees was Aspirus Lake View Hospital, recognized for its work in mental health education, a commitment that’s been steadily growing in visibility and impact across the North Shore.

As one example of this com­mitment, last year I covered Lake View’s “Be There in 2024” cam­paign, a free community training designed to help everyday people support those struggling with men­tal health. The program, led by Rachel Gischia, Manager of Com­munity Outreach and Emergency Preparedness, invited bartenders, stylists, church leaders, and local business owners to learn how to recognize signs of distress and re­spond with care.

“We see people have struggled since the pandemic,” Gischia told me at the time. “We see it in our emergency department. We hear about it through our schools and public health.”

The training, developed by Dr. Sarah Wells of the College of St. Scholastica, introduced the L.A.K.E. framework — Listen, Ask, Know, Encourage — offer­ing practical tools for connection, resource-sharing, and follow-up. It was a shift from crisis-only models like QPR toward more preventative, community-based support.

That kind of engagement is part of what earned Lake View recogni­tion from MHA this year.

As MHA President and CEO Dr. Rahul Koranne said, “These awards highlight the dedication of Minne­sota’s hospital and health system staff, trustees, and partners to im­proving the health of our commu­nities. Their efforts are improving patient outcomes in communities across our region, supporting care­givers, and preparing our health system for challenges ahead.”

Aspirus Lake View’s work re­minds us that mental health edu­cation isn’t just about clinical care; it’s about equipping neighbors to show up for one another. And that’s exactly what they’ve been doing.

Congratulations to Aspirus Lake View for the well-deserved recog­nition, and thank you for all you do, not just for your patients and their families but for the community you serve!