SC Thrive Celebrates National Health Center Week

Imagine for a moment – you are a young, single parent of two amazing children who are growing and learning every day. Your world revolves around them, and everything you do is to ensure they are healthy, happy and safe.

Sure, there are some struggles, but you work hard at your job, which provides medical and dental benefits, and you plan every cent of your bi-weekly paycheck to make sure you can cover housing, utilities, transportation and healthy meals for those little hungry mouths.

Then suddenly life happens.

It comes fast and in many forms. Employers downsize and factories shut down. Unexpected illnesses or injuries. Fires and floods. The list is seemingly endless.

What was previously manageable quickly becomes more than you can handle. No job means no income to pay the bills or buy food. No benefits means you and your family can’t get the healthcare and medicines you may need.

So when one of the children suddenly has a high fever, what can you do?

In South Carolina, the answer is one of 295 service sites operated by nearly two dozen Community Health Centers statewide. Also known as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), CHCs provide healthcare regardless of the patient’s ability to pay, with a focus on underserved communities and uninsured or underinsured individuals.

As we celebrate National Community Health Center week Aug. 2-8, SC Thrive is proud to recognize the 12 FQHCs that are Thrive Hub Benefits Partner Sites, where South Carolinians can get the healthcare they need, as well as apply for Healthy Connections Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and USDA’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC will be available later this year) along with several other programs and services, all onsite, all at the same time.

By providing these valuable services, HopeHealth’s Patient Benefit Counselors are able to leverage the SC Thrive platform to better assist our patients and extend support throughout the communities we serve,” HopeHealth PBC Process Manager Jennifer Nettles said. “These success stories reflect the dedication of our PBCs and the meaningful difference they make every day.”

At Little River Medical Center, a person with a heart condition, bound to a wheelchair, living alone and unable to work, wanted to eat better to help with his condition, but couldn’t afford to buy healthier food.

“I helped him complete a SNAP application, and he was approved for benefits. He expressed how grateful he was for the assistance and shared that he is now able to purchase healthier foods and take better care of his health,” said LRMC Outreach Coordinator Gabby Lemmo. “It was rewarding to see how access to this resource made a meaningful difference in his daily life.”

SC Thrive Heart of the Region Award recipient Hugh Latimer, an Outreach Coordinator at Foothills Community Health Care in Easley, helped a man apply for benefits to ease the mounting burdens of a terminal illness.

It had felt like a heavy weight had been lifted just to get the help,” the man told Latimer.

The high quality of care and the commitment to treating the whole person for the long term means the staff of CHCs and those they care for establish long-term, trusted connections.

It’s why HopeHealth Patient Benefits Counselor Charlene Harris has a long list of clients who return to her each year when it’s time to renew benefits.

(Charlene) has built strong, trusting relationships with those she serves, and they are confident in her ability to guide them through the renewal process each year,” said Nettles.

According to Health Resources Services and Administration data, more than 440,000 South Carolinians received care and treatment from CHCs in 2024 for a myriad of physical and mental health conditions including diabetes, depression, pre- and post-natal care, cancer screening and treatment, and many, many more. Over 25% of those served were under 18 years of age.

Thrive Hub Benefits Partner Sites Little River Medical Center, Foothills Community Health Care, Affinity Health Center, CareSouth Carolina, Inc., Careteam Plus (FQHC lookalike), Carolina Health Centers, Fetter Care Network, Genesis Healthcare, HopeHealth, ReGenesis Health Care, Sandhills Medical Foundation and St. James Health and Wellness are among the nearly 200 Thrive Hub partner sites helping provide access to resources and building stabilized, healthy communities across South Carolina.

Together we Thrive.

Ryan Elswick
Outreach and Marketing Coordinator

To learn more about SC Thrive and Thrive hub, contact Outreach and Marketing Coordinator Ryan Elswick at relswick@scthrive.org or 843-751-9117.