Welcome to the South Carolina Department of Mental Health. Our mission is to support the recovery of people with mental illnesses. Through a Statewide network of community mental health centers, clinics, hospitals, and nursing homes the Department's clinical staff provide a complete array of medical and support services for children, adults, and families throughout South Carolina. We believe that with the right treatment and support, recovery is possible.
You May Also Consider (Sponsored)
Quick Start Online Therapy: Tell Us a Little About Yourself and Get Matched With a Therapist Right for You
Take a simple guided quiz and let us know your preferences. Get matched to an online therapist right for you. Convenient and affordable online therapy from your phone, tablet or computer.
Have you been in therapy before?
Services Offered
Community Mental Health Services
DMH Community Mental Health Centers provide a wide array of intensive mental health services to children, adolescents, adults, and families with severe symptoms of mental illness, substance abuse (dual diagnosis) and/or emotional distress who are residents of South Carolina.
Most services are provided by board certified psychiatrists and licensed clinical professionals.
Most DMH Community Mental Health Centers provide the following Services Offered:-Psychiatric Assessments
-Community Support Services
-Emergency Crisis Services
-Crisis Stabilization Services
-Individual and Family Education and Support
-Outpatient Therapy (Individual, Family, and Group)
-Peer Support Services
-Physician/Psychiatric Services
-School based Services
-Supported Living Services
-Targeted Case Management
-Please contact your local mental health center for more information on the services provided in your area.
DMH mental health professionals use a variety of therapies, which may include:
-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
-Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
-Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
-Motivational Interviewing
-Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT)
-Trauma Focused CBT
-DMH also operates hospitals and nursing homes. Click here to learn more about DMH inpatient services.
Child, Adolescent, and Family Services (CAF)
-CAF provides an array of mental and behavioral health services to children and their families within their communities when needed.
-CAF staff work to ensure families are equal partners in the decision-making processes that affect their children. Family participation is an essential component of treatment and recovery.
-CAF's goal is to build a seamless service delivery system for the children and families of South Carolina. CAF provides or links families to critically needed services in home, school, and community settings. CAF utilizes a wraparound model of service delivery by partnering with sister agencies to provide needed services.
-CAF is committed to improving the system of care for children, adolescents, and families across the state.
Fees and Payment
Contact your local clinic to learn which insurances they accept. No one is turned away for treatment regardless of ability to pay.
Services Offered To: Adults Teens Children
Special Groups: Bilingual
Payment: Sliding Scale Pro-bono Medicare Medicaid
If You Call, Please Let Us Know How it Went:
Were You Able to Make an Appointment?
One quick last question. Who was seeking counseling today?
Do you know the reason they are not accepting clients?
Qualifying for assistance from South Carolina's program usually depends on the severity of your condition and financial circumstance. Read our full guide to South Carolina's program.
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.
