Together, We’re Greater: Greenville-area Mental Health Centers to Merge

Greenville, SC – Effective July 1, 2019, the SC Department of Mental Health’s Greenville Mental Health Center and Piedmont Center for Mental Health Services will merge, becoming the Greater Greenville Mental Health Center (GGMHC).

SCDMH, the State’s public mental health provider, has considered merging the centers for many years, as Greenville is the only SC county served by two centers. As a result, it was sometimes difficult for members of the community to understand which service area they resided in, and which of the two Centers they should go to for services.

“This is something we’ve looked at for some time,” said SCDMH Interim State Director Mark Binkley. “The transition of each Center’s executive directors to new roles, and the ability to combine the governing boards without losing any members made now an ideal time to make the change.”

All existing offices and clinics of both centers will remain open and operational, and telephone numbers, physical addresses, and e-mail addresses will remain the same. The GGMHC administration will be located at the 124 Mallard Street site.

“The Center merger will not only enable Greater Greenville to increase access and expand services for our patients throughout the County, but will also make the collection of data easier and more efficient, resulting in improved operations,” said GGMHC Executive Director Peter Camelo, LPC. In fiscal year 2018, the two centers served 10,388 people, 4,440 of whom were children and adolescents, and 527 of whom were over the age of 65.

No staff at either Center will lose their job as a result of the merger, and very few employees will notice any change in their current job duties. Leadership at GMHC and Piedmont CMHS have worked diligently to ensure staff of both centers are aware of the upcoming changes and will have opportunities to meet, network, and team build before the July effective date.

Leadership from the centers and staff from multiple components of SCDMH have been working for months to ensure a smooth transition with regard to patient care and administrative functions. The Center has developed a set of Frequently Asked Questions for patients and their families, posted on its facebook page and website, and staff are working to ensure patients, families, collaborating healthcare and service providers, and the community at large are aware of the change and how it will affect them.

“GGMHC has chosen the catchphrase ‘Together, We are Greater’ to introduce the public to the Center,” said SCDMH Deputy Director of Community Mental Health Services Debbie Blalock. “Combining the staff and locations will not only strengthen our services to the people of Greenville County who need us, but will also make what is already an exceptional group of staff even more effective at carrying out SCDMH’s mission.”

“Greenville MHC and Piedmont CMHS created a system of care that has provided quality mental health services to the citizens of Greenville County for the past 50 years,” added Camelo. “Whether you are old or young, we have someone that can help make a difference in your life. If you are considering our services or are currently receiving services, your continued patronage and support are valued. We will continue to be Greenville County’s leader in Mental Health care.”

Greater Greenville Mental Health Center, comprising more than 250 staff and three clinics, provides mental health services to children, adolescents, and adults in Greenville County. It is accredited by CARF International, an independent, nonprofit accreditor of human service providers. GGMHC is one of the South Carolina Department of Mental Health’s 16 outpatient community mental health centers, and is a component of the Agency’s division of Community Mental Health Services.

The South Carolina Department of Mental Health’s mission is to support the recovery of people with mental illnesses, giving priority to adults with serious and persistent mental illness and to children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbances. The Agency serves approximately 100,000 citizens with mental illnesses, approximately 30,000 of whom are children and adolescents, and provides outpatient services through a statewide network of community mental health centers and numerous clinics. It also operates multiple inpatient hospitals, including one for substance use treatment, one community nursing care center, and three veterans’ nursing homes.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 18, 2019

Contact:
Alexis VanArsdale
Phone: (864) 241-1040 ext. 201
E-mail: alexis.vanarsdale@scdmh.org