Changes are being implemented at South Carolina’s top health agency, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC). This transition will see the agency transforming into the Department of Public Health (DPH) starting on July 1st. This change comes after the General Assembly and Governor Henry McMaster made the decision to split up the agency and create a separate health department.
Dr. Edward Simmer, the interim director of the new South Carolina Department of Public Health, explained that last year the legislature passed Act 60, directing DHEC to split into two agencies – the South Carolina Public Health and the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services. The new Department of Public Health will now encompass most of what was previously offered by DHEC’s health services.
This change will not affect the quality of service provided to the people of South Carolina. Services at health departments will remain the same in terms of locations, staff, and trustworthiness. However, the focus of the new Department of Public Health moving forward will be outreach and engagement, connecting with various community groups and stakeholders statewide.
The ultimate goal of the newly formed Department of Public Health is to improve South Carolina’s health ranking, which currently stands at 45th out of the 50 states. Dr. Simmer aims to make South Carolina the number one state for health across all measures, although he acknowledges that achieving this goal will take time. The transition to the new Department of Public Health will occur on July 1st, pushing for a future of improved health outcomes for the state of South Carolina.