Something to Celebrate...

CareSouth Carolina showcased by The Commonwealth Fund For “Transforming Care”

The monumental task of assessing the eligibility of 92.3 million Americans for Medicaid benefits based on their age, income, and disability status has begun in all 50 states. These crucial "redeterminations," typically conducted annually, were temporarily halted during the COVID-19 public health emergency to ensure continuous coverage for individuals at high risk of severe outcomes from the disease.

Yesterday, SC Gov. Henry McMaster announced a historic collaboration and investment in a $100 million behavioral health facility in Florence. MUSC Health is proud to partner with regional public-private colleagues to make this happen.

The new innovative facility will serve as a regional behavioral health hub and include triage, crisis stabilization, telehealth, outpatient and inpatient services to expand much-needed behavioral health resources in the Pee Dee region.

"We are excited to partner with these public-private colleagues to make these services available as quickly as possible and have been supportive of finding innovative ways to serve some of our most vulnerable citizens in this way for some time," said David J. Cole, M.D., FACS, MUSC president. "Access to this kind of care is of paramount concern when we consider the economic and societal impact of mental illness, substance abuse and other behavioral health concerns.

MPD Electric Cooperative Contributes to Future Training Facility for Marlboro Sheriff’s Department

MPD Electric Cooperative recently donated $2,500 to the Marlboro County Sheriff’s Office toward the acquisition of a training facility and firing range for officers.

“Our law enforcement officers are some of the most selfless public servants in our community,” said Matt Haynie, chief marketing officer of MPD Electric Cooperative. “Officer training and safety is of the utmost importance, and we are proud to support this project.”

The future facility will serve as a multi-purpose building for classes and training and can accommodate agencies across the region. It will also house a sixlane firing range that will be utilized to keep deputies’ firearm certifications up to date with South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy standards.

“We greatly appreciate this donation from MPD Electric Cooperative,” said Sheriff Larry McNeil. “I will continue to work as hard as I can to help find ways to develop and maintain a respectful, well trained law enforcement agency that serves the citizens of Marlboro County with the highest standards possible.”

As the redetermination process unfolds, an estimated 15 million individuals are projected to lose their Medicaid benefits over the next 13 months, according to The Commonwealth Fund. Some will no longer meet their state's eligibility criteria, while others may be disenrolled due to administrative and paperwork errors. Among those affected will be individuals who miss notifications regarding the redetermination process, subsequently missing deadlines to enroll in affordable marketplace plans or apply for coverage through an employer.

Federally qualified health centers (FQHCs), responsible for caring for approximately one in six Medicaid beneficiaries, are expected to play a pivotal role in identifying individuals at risk of losing their coverage. These centers will assist in maintaining their enrollment, or alternatively, support them in finding alternative insurance options.

As a federally-qualified health center, CareSouth Carolina was one of the community health centers showcased in the report. CareSouth Carolina CEO Ann Lewis expressed the concern the organization has about ensuring people get the coverage they need.

“It can be a heavy lift for each application because there’s so much uncertainty about the personal information the state has and may request,” says Ann Lewis, CareSouth Carolina’s CEO. “One of her biggest fears is that the addresses in the state’s database are outdated. “This is a population of patients that moves around quite a bit,” she says. “Ultimately, people are going to fall through the cracks.”

CareSouth Carolina’s Community Outreach Team is working hard to ensure that community members are properly re-enrolled in Medicaid. One of these ways is through the newly-introduced Healthy Kids Project initiative. CareSouth Carolina was awarded a grant from The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to help enroll and renew Medicaid coverage for kids, parents, pregnant individuals, and non-English speaking individuals.

If you need assistance in changing your address or signing up for Medicaid, CareSouth Carolina has Family Support Services Benefit Counselors who are available to assist.

For more information or help with Medicaid re-enrollment, please call 1-866498-0399 and a CareSouth Carolina representative will be happy to help.

Through the Healthy Kids Project, CareSouth Carolina has hosted community events, marketed in targeted areas, and looked to eliminate transportation barriers to patients who may not be able to get help otherwise. You don’t need to be a CareSouth Carolina patient to receive these services, either.

Ashley Ford, Director of the Healthy Kids Project, said that CareSouth Carolina understands that the Medicaid enrollment and re-enrollment process can be confusing. That’s why the organization will be with you and take care of all aspects from start to finish.

“If in doubt, just give us a call,” Ford said. “Don’t scramble your brain to try and figure it out. We’ll be able to walk with you through the entire process. Let us do the lay-work for you. Going to the local Medicaid office can be stressful, but we can do all of that for you, if you’ll let us assist you. It doesn’t cost you a thing.”

Closet discussed the updates and renovations done to the building and thanked HMRA and the City of Marion for their assistance in this endeavor.

The Clothing Closet is a great place to donate/recycle things you don’t need any more and a great place to shop when you need something different. It is run by area churches and the profits go back into the community. They are open Wednesday-Friday from 10am4pm. Drop by to browse and see what’s new.

The South Carolina Osteopathic Medical Society

Names Dr. W. Mark Jones 2023 Resident of the Year

The South Carolina Osteopathic Medical Society presented Dr. W. Mark Jones, V with its 2023 Resident of the Year Award on June 8 at its Annual Meeting.

This award honors a current DO Resident who demonstrates commitment to osteopathic patient-centered care, provides exemplary patient care and clinical promise, contributes to scholarly activity, and demonstrates leadership and a commitment to the community.

More than 35 new graduate nurses attended a celebration Signing Day event at SiMT in Florence on June 15.

Designed to be like an athletic signing day event where athletes sign letters of intent to play college sports, these nurses signed their letters of intent to work for McLeod Health. The nurses attending represented the new hires for McLeod Regional Medical Center, McLeod Health Clarendon, McLeod Health Cheraw, and McLeod Health Dillon. The new graduates invited their loved ones to join them for a fun and exciting evening of photos, gifts, and interacting with fellow graduates as they were welcomed into the McLeod Health family.

“As a nurse, I truly understand what this evening means to each of you,” said Donna Isgett, RN, President & Chief Executive Officer of McLeod Health. “Nursing is where my heart is. It is what is leading this organization. The sky is the limit on what you can achieve as a nurse.”

The nurses attending the celebration were graduates of Francis Marion University, Central Carolina Technical College, Williamsburg Technical College, FlorenceDarlington Technical College, Lander University, University of South Carolina, and Northeastern Technical College.

“At McLeod, we work to recruit and retain the best employees. Our greatest asset is our people,” added Octavia Williams Blake, Senior Vice President & Chief Human Resource Officer. “We are so grateful you have decided to join our family.”

Dr. Jones is a 2020 graduate of Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM-Carolinas) in Spartanburg, SC. His academics into medical school placed him in the top one percent in every standardized test where any medical field would be available for his career choice. Yet his compassion for people and his extreme desire to help all sorts of everyday folks was confirmed with his VCOM training that led him into a Family Medicine residency.

“Rarely if ever has a more qualified resident come along in all my 40 years on Family Medicine faculty,” said Dr. Gerard Jebaily, Program Director at McLeod Family Medicine Residency Program. “Dr. Jones volunteers with local charitable events, happily helps with medical staff improvement projects, and has earned the respect of his attendings and full-time faculty with his caring ethic. He represents the very best of the Osteopathic tradition and, in my mind, is a very deserving candidate.”

Dr. Jones is a third-year Family Medicine Resident at the McLeod Family Medicine Residency Program in Florence, SC. He has maintained his leadership skills and community involvement by serving as the PGYII and PGYIII Chief Resident, as well as providing multiple lectures and skills labs for the VCOM Family Medicine Interest group.

While in residency, Dr. Jones furthered his passion for organized medicine by serving in multiple capacities in the South Carolina Medical Association Resident and Fellow Section and currently holds the position of RFS Delegate and Member at Large. He has co-authored multiple resolutions on subjects that include Pharmacy Benefit Manager gag clauses, COMLEX acceptance within SC residencies, and prevention of second-hand smoke exposure in minors. He also serves on several hospital executive level committees.