Optimizing South Carolina’s Behavioral Healthcare Delivery Infrastructure

​In January 2022, Governor Henry McMaster directed the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) to “initiate an immediate review of our State’s behavioral health funding and delivery system.” In addition, the South Carolina General Assembly directed SCDHHS to “undertake an effort to assess existing gaps in coverage for or the supply of inpatient psychiatric care, crisis stabilization, and other inpatient or outpatient behavioral health services” in its 2022-2023 General Appropriations Bill (117.153).

In August 2022, SCDHHS established a Master Plan Advisory Committee (MPAC) of agency leaders, subject matter experts, and stakeholders to identify and address additional behavioral needs and opportunities to improve coordination throughout the state’s behavioral health delivery system. CaroNova was engaged to support the MPAC with coordination, research, and strategy. MPAC’s membership includes representation from state agencies, hospital systems, other health payors, state universities, and the provider community.

The advisory committee’s efforts helped guide SCDHHS’ behavioral health crisis stabilization grant program, contributed to the state’s collaborative investment in a new behavioral health hub in Florence, South Carolina, and ultimately led to the development of the South Carolina Behavioral Health Action Plan (SCBHAP). During the collaborative process of creating the SCBHAP, CaroNova supported the MPAC and state agencies in implementing recommendations as they were developed, including:
 

• SCDHHS awarding grants to 13 South Carolina hospitals to develop and implement EmPATH units, specialized hospital-based emergency department units dedicated to behavioral health crises.
• SCDHHS establishing new or enhanced Medicaid services that allow for the delivery and reimbursement of critical behavioral health services.
• SCDHHS exploring/testing how to increase access to more preventative supports to respond to the growing youth mental health crisis and to meet youth where they are: in the community and in schools. See Universal Youth Mental Wellness Supports for more details.