Health
We envision a future where behavioral health needs for children, youth, and adults are recognized and validated.
We seek to increase knowledge of issues related to behavioral health needs and improve access to available community resources and services.
We’re making strong, strategic investments in programs that provide all our adults and children access to the health services they need to not only be well but to thrive. United Way of Horry County will continue the fight for public policies and programs that focus on behavioral health and wellness for our community’s children and families. We envision a future where behavioral health needs for children, youth, and adults are recognized and validated. We seek to increase knowledge of issues related to behavioral health needs and improve access to available community resources and services.
BOLD COMMUNITY GOALS
Decrease the number of suicide ideations and attempts
2016 – 2020 Baseline: Horry County is ranked fifth in the state of South Carolina for the highest suicide ideations and attempts (SCDMH Office of Suicide Prevention)
Decrease the number of drug-related overdose deaths
2020 Baseline: Opioid-involved overdose deaths in Horry County are 42.95 per 100,000, #1 in the state (DAODAS)
Our Challenges in Horry County:
- The average number of mentally unhealthy days reported in the last 30 days is 5 days per month. countyhealthrankings.org
- From 2018 to 2019, there was a 45.7% increase in total drug overdose deaths and a 54.1% increase in opioid-related deaths. Institute of Medicine & Public Health, imph.org
- Horry County had a 40% increase in EMS self-harm calls when comparing pre-COVID-19 (Oct. 2019 – June 2020) vs. During COVID-19 (Oct. 2020 – June 2021). SCDMH, Office of Suicide Prevention
- In the 2021 UWHC community needs assessment, 54% of participants needed mental health care in the last 12 months.
- From October 2015 to September 2020, there have been over 27,000 visits to the Emergency Department for mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders. Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Office, South Carolina, Health and Demographics
Strategies to Achieve Our Vision:
Fund:
- Programs that improve outcomes and access to behavioral health services for children, youth, and adults
- Programs that raise awareness of and intervention in unhealthy behaviors
Advocate:
- Support community efforts to encourage the understanding of behavioral health needs through education and legislation
Collaborate:
- Collaborate with stakeholders to convene/participate in a coalition of community partners engaged in developing a strategy to address behavioral health needs in Horry County (with a focus on strengthening families)
Educate:
- Educate at-risk populations about available programming and services to support behavioral health
- Conduct a marketing campaign around preventive education and reducing the stigma of behavioral health issues
Read more about our Community Game Plan and how we plan to focus our programs, collective impact work, and investments to meet the needs of our community through our Bold Goals.
Breaking Barriers in Mental Health
United Way of Horry County is leading the effort on access to mental health services through their Breaking Barriers in Mental Health Program. Working with The Center for Counseling and Wellness, this program provides free, consistent, on-site outpatient, mental health, and substance use disorder counseling services to the homeless, uninsured, underinsured, low to moderate-income, and rural population of Horry County.
Learn more about the Breaking Barriers in Mental Health program here.
We are proud to provide grants to the following local agencies to help provide access to healthcare in our community:
