Palmetto State News

Governor Henry McMaster announced today that South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS) Director Robert M. Kerr will retire from his position, effective November 1, 2024. Kerr, who served as director for over three years, was nominated by Gov. McMaster in April 2021.

"Director Robby Kerr is truly a remarkable leader and a dedicated public servant, whose counsel and vision have been relied upon and trusted by governors, legislators, and colleagues alike," said Gov. McMaster. "He has transformed and modernized our state’s Medicaid program and has led efforts to improve service, efficiency, and health outcomes at agencies across state government. South Carolina is a better place today because of the contributions and accomplishments of Director Kerr. He will be missed."

In his resignation letter to Gov. McMaster, Director Kerr highlighted several major achievements during his tenure: "Under your leadership and guidance, staff have made transformative changes for the state. In behavioral health, they have doubled the number of school-based counselors, invested over $45 million in establishing innovative EmPath crisis stabilization units within hospitals, and made historic collaborative investments of over $100 million establishing regional inpatient behavioral health hubs. They have stabilized the Medicaid budget while substantially improving provider rates and expanding service arrays. Finally, staff have developed and are executing a comprehensive modernization plan to improve the agency's enterprise and enrollment systems."

Gov. McMaster will make further announcements about the leadership of the agency in the near future.