The Municipal Association of SC 2024 Advocacy Initiatives — the list of specific goals that it pursues with the General Assembly to benefit cities and towns — includes support for additional funding through the state budget and other resources for mental health services for residents. The 2024 Annual Meeting in Greenville will address the topic as well, with a session covering the services offered through the SC Department of Mental Health and its regional offices.
Mental health as an Advocacy Initiative came about because many city and town officials across South Carolina have firsthand knowledge of the negative impacts that insufficient mental health care has in their communities. The National Alliance on Mental Health has estimated more than 700,000 South Carolina residents suffer from mental illness, and nearly half of them have not sought treatment because of the cost.
The negative effects of mental health challenges can be felt in many parts of a community’s well-being. Mental health conditions impact rates of crime and violence, as well as rates of substance abuse and homelessness. Untreated mental health issues can often burden emergency services, with law enforcement often having to respond to mental health emergencies that they aren’t trained to address. When responding to a call, officers may be uncertain of what steps they should take in a situation where they know that arrest is not an ideal course of action. When mental health issues appear in a homeless population, it can lead to fears and concerns among other residents using public places as well.
Some local law enforcement agencies have already explored creative ways to address these issues. The West Columbia Police Department, for example, has partnered with the University of South Carolina College of Social Work for an outreach initiative focused on everything from de-escalation to follow-up in cases where mental health is a concern. The Camden Police Department has used the Community Oriented Policing Services division to connect people with everything from food and shelter to mental health treatment, and the Bluffton Police Department’s outreach efforts have included the addition of an in-house mental health advocate position.
Annual Meeting breakout session
The SC Department of Mental Health has a host of services, including licensed mental health providers that accompany officers to the scene of a disturbance. This is information cities and towns need to know about. One breakout session at the Annual Meeting will introduce elected officials to the SC Department of Mental Health, and walk them through the services available to them through the department’s 16 regional offices.
Speakers for the session will include Deborah Blalock, the deputy director who manages the Division of Community Mental Health Services, the statewide network of outpatient clinics. It will also feature Peter Camelo, executive director of one of these facilities, the Greater Greenville Mental Health Center, which has clinics in Greenville, Greer and Simpsonville.
Find more information on the Annual Meeting online. The Association will use its regular registration process to make sure that municipal officials have priority for the limited available reservations and ticketed events. It will draw city and town names June 17, 18 and 20 to determine the order of registration appointments. The deadline to sign up for the drawing is May 31.