ORANGEBURG COUNTY, S.C. — May is Mental Health Awareness Month. In Orangeburg County, the Orangeburg Area Mental Health Center has resources available for those who need help.
The Center offers crisis management, individual, and group therapy. There are also employment and housing programs where patients can receive assistance getting jobs and finding a place to live. These services are offered according to a sliding scale fee that is determined based on a person's income.
“If a person is indigent and does not have any insurance, we will offer them a sliding fee scale, but we don’t turn people away because they don’t have any insurance," said Executive Director Dr. Natashia Smith.
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Telehealth services are also available for those who may not be able to go to the facility. There are also other options available for those who live in rural parts of the county and may not have access to transportation.
“We can actually go out to the home and see them or we can pick them up and bring them back to the center and they can be seen," said Smith.
Smith says they are also in the process of acquiring an RV to start offering mobile services throughout the county. The goal is to have it up and running by September.
According to Dr. Smith, there are signs family members can look out for to identify someone they love is in need of mental health care. For a child, she says they may have a hard time focusing on a task. Other children may show behavioral issues that are brought to your attention by a teacher. If this is happening frequently, Smith says this is something a parent should look into.
She also says some children may show signs of separation anxiety when they go to school.
"Mental health certainly matters," said Dr. Smith.
For more information about the Orangeburg Area Mental Health Center, call (803) 536-1571.