Palmetto State News

Governor Henry McMaster and the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) have announced a significant increase in the number of school-based mental health counselors available to serve children in South Carolina. The latest survey results from September 2023 revealed that the number of school-based mental health counselors has doubled to 1,209 at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year, up from 600 in January 2022.

Governor McMaster expressed his satisfaction with the progress, stating, "In just the past two years, we have made significant progress in providing school-based mental health services to school-aged children." He emphasized the importance of continuing efforts to ensure mental health resources are accessible to the state's youth.

Robby Kerr, Director of SCDHHS, highlighted the collaborative effort that led to this achievement, stating, "This tremendous progress in improving access to vital services for our state’s children was achieved by adopting a collaborative approach between state agencies, local school districts, and the private sector."

The survey also revealed that the mental health counselor-to-student ratio has improved to approximately 1:653, a significant enhancement from the previous ratio of 1:1,300 in January 2022. Additionally, most of the state's school-based mental health counselors are now directly employed by school districts, with counselors available in 230 more schools than in 2022, covering every school district in the state.

SCDHHS implemented seven recommendations to enhance access to mental health services in public schools, aiming to cut the state's mental health counselor-to-student ratio in half by 2023. These recommendations included increasing reimbursement rates for school-based mental health counselors through the state's Healthy Connections Medicaid program and providing districts with greater flexibility in hiring mental health providers.

In support of these efforts, a $3.2 million grant was announced by SCDHHS in September 2022 to bolster the South Carolina School Behavioral Health Academy. The agency's initiative to improve school-based mental health services is ongoing, with more information available on their website.

The importance of providing mental health services in schools is underscored by research from the South Carolina School Behavioral Health Academy, which shows that children are 21 times more likely to access mental health services through schools than any other setting.

The initiative comes at a critical time as statistics show concerning trends in youth mental health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of youth suicide has increased significantly over the past decade, with suicide being a leading cause of death among young South Carolinians.

Efforts to expand access to mental health services in schools aim to address these pressing issues and provide vital support to children in South Carolina.