Merger aims to remedy what’s wrong with S.C. health agencies
COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina’s health care delivery system has been found to be the most fractured of any state in the nation.
It means taxpayer dollars spent to boost people’s health are not paying off – with South Carolinians among some of the unhealthiest Americans.
But leaders believe a major change the governor just signed into law will help.
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On Monday, Gov. Henry McMaster signed one of his key priorities for the year into law – legislation to merge three separate state agencies into one.
{mcmaster} “This is an enormous, historic step forward, a great step forward, for the people of our state to make things better and better,” he said.
The law will combine three state agencies – the existing Departments of Mental Health; Disabilities and Special Needs; and Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services.
They’ll be merged into a new Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.
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“They’re serving overlapping populations. So first of all, people who need those services don’t know which agency to go to, so there’s a lot of confusion. Second of all, there’s a lot more FTEs than we actually need to deliver those services. So this particular reform is going to bring more efficiency, save money, provide better services, and also it’s going to have better ability,” said Sen. Tom Davis, R-Beaufort.
The leaders of two of those existing agencies are able to unelected boards.
But ers believe merging the departments into a new cabinet agency able to and able to be fired by the governor will make them more responsive to South Carolinians’ needs.
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“When the agency has to operate through a board, and the board selects a director, that diffuses responsibility. The best organizations work at their peak when there’s a leader in charge that can be able to the people,” McMaster said.
Data shows South Carolina is spending more money than most other states to boost people’s health – but it’s not paying off: South Carolinians are among the unhealthiest Americans.
Many at the State House are confident this restructuring will change that – with the right person in charge.
“The three agencies are very similar. Those with alcohol abuse problems often have mental health problems. Those with mental health problems often have disabilities. So finding somebody in that space that has knowledge of all those areas is going to be the task, and I’m confident in our governor’s ability to do that,” Davis said.
This change is effective immediately with the governor’s signature.
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