WEST COLUMBIA, S.C. — The Lexington Medical Center Foundation has received a grant from The Duke Endowment to increase access to mental health care in Lexington County and establish a comprehensive and coordinated system of care delivery.
“The Lexington Medical Center Foundation works diligently to address critical health care initiatives in our community,” said Amy Lanier, executive director of the Lexington Medical Center Foundation. “This grant will allow us to help meet behavioral health needs through collaboration with partners throughout Lexington County.”
A Lexington Medical Center Community Health Needs Assessment recently identified mental health care as one of the top three most prevalent health needs of our community.
The grant money will fund a new program called “Collaborative Effort Meeting Community Mental Health Needs.” It will provide a framework to assess and expand existing behavioral health resources in the community and deliver mental health care support and training for first responders.
Through this effort, partners will also work together to address barriers to care and underlying issues to improve health equity for patients. Dedicated community paramedics will partner with mental health counselors to support participating patients where they reside, helping them create tailored care plans that address their physical and mental health needs; providing coaching and guidance in accessing available care; and, ultimately, helping patients better manage needs through appropriate paths.
The partners in the program are Lexington Medical Center, Lexington County EMS, Lexington County Community Mental Health Center, Serve & Connect and local law enforcement agencies.
The grant totals nearly one million dollars over three years.
Since 1924, The Duke Endowment has worked to help people and strengthen communities in North and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. To date, the endowment has awarded more than four billion dollars in grants.
The Lexington Medical Center Foundation is thankful for The Duke Endowment’s support of this important mental health initiative for Lexington County.
About Lexington Medical Center
Lexington Medical Center is a 557-bed hospital in West Columbia, South Carolina. It anchors a health care network that includes three community medical centers and employs a staff of more than 7,800 health care professionals. The network includes a cardiovascular program recognized by the American College of Cardiology as South Carolina’s first HeartCARE Center and a cancer program affiliated with Duke Health. The network also has an occupational health center, the largest skilled nursing facility in the Carolinas, an Alzheimer’s care center and 70 physician practices. Lexington Medical Center operates one of the busiest Emergency departments in South Carolina, treating nearly 100,000 patients each year. The hospital delivers more than 4,000 babies each year and performs more than 25,000 surgeries.
