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Mental health program reopens office in Spartanburg

Herald-Journal (Spartanburg, SC) - 7/7/2014

July 03--A nationwide behavioral health program that has not had a presence in Spartanburg for three years is poised to return.

The Spartanburg Regional Foundation recently awarded a $17,600 grant to set up and support a Spartanburg chapter of Mental Health America, an organization that works to inform, advocate and enable access to quality behavioral health services.

Mary Miles, chairwoman of the Mental Health America Spartanburg Advisory board, said the bulk of the funding will go toward offering educational workshops in the community in hopes of reducing the stigmas often associated with behavioral health conditions.

"There is a tremendous amount of stigma associated with saying, 'I have a problem and need help,'" she said. "We will do educational workshops -- talking to civic organizations, talking to community organizations -- trying to reduce that stigma."

She said she is pleased that the Spartanburg Regional Foundation has confidence in the organization.

"It's just been amazing to us how people have stepped forward to get this organization back in the community," Miles said.

In 2007, Mental Health America of the Piedmont merged with Carolina Counseling Services to form the PACE Center, a nonprofit that offered counseling to patients on a sliding pay scale.

In 2011, the PACE Center was unable to secure funding and closed. Mental Health America disappeared with it.

"It was a step backward for Spartanburg," Miles said of the closure "It had major impacts on our ability to serve people in this community."

A behavioral health task force formed in 2013 and several organizations including, the United Way of the Piedmont, the Mary Black Foundation, the Spartanburg Regional Foundation, the Spartanburg County Foundation, the S.C. Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services -- joined efforts to find ways to improve the county's behavioral health system.

A study conducted by the group found that more than 41,000 Spartanburg residents had a diagnosable mental illness in 2012. The study also found that 84 percent of patients in Spartanburg County who have a mental illness do not get their needs met after they seek help from a facility.

Many people with behavioral health conditions do not seek help, according to Elizabeth Boaze, assistant director of Spartanburg Area Mental Health. One of the reasons is because of the stigmas that exist, she said.

"Trying to reduce stigma has to be done through education -- that's a big portion of what was missing when Mental Health America did not have a presence in the county," Boaze said.

Miles said the behavioral health task force took an interest in bringing Mental Health America back to the community and worked together to secure the money. The Spartanburg chapter recently hired an executive director whose office will be located in the Spartanburg Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission building on Broad Street. Miles said the organization will also reach out to elected officials to raise awareness about the behavioral health challenges facing Spartanburg and to offer information about Mental Health America.

"I hope to talk to them individually about the needs in this county and how many people go without services in this community," she said. "There is so much to do; we can not do it all. We are going to have to prioritize, but we know education aimed at reducing stigma is one of the most important things we can do."

Miles said education workshops are expected to begin this fall.

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(c)2014 Spartanburg Herald-Journal (Spartanburg, S.C.)

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