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Anderson, Oconee, Pickens Mental Health

Purpose: The Anderson, Oconee, Pickens Mental Health Center supports the recovery of persons with mental illnesses.

Enabling Legislation: State Law Ch. 15, Section 44-15-60

The Anderson-Oconee-Pickens Mental Health Center, a facility of the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, is the main service provider of mental health care in our three-county area. They provide services at six sites including the Anderson County Center, the Oconee County Clinic and the Pickens County Clinic. The staff of highly skilled and caring professionals includes therapists, social workers, rehabilitation counselors, nurses and psychiatrists, all dedicated to promoting the recovery of individuals with mental illnesses and emotional problems.

Anderson-Oconee-Pickens Mental Health Center offers high quality, affordable, accessible mental health care to our communities and strives for the highest level of satisfaction possible, treating all clients with the utmost dignity and respect.

Establishment and membership of community mental health boards:
The members must be appointed by the Governor upon the recommendation of a majority of the members of the legislative delegations of the counties participating. The legislative delegations and the Governor shall consider consumer and family representation, including parents of emotionally disturbed children and adolescents, when recommending and appointing members to the board. By resolution a county legislative delegation may delegate to the governing body of the county they represent the authority to recommend board members to the Governor. The resolution is not revocable, and copies of the resolution must be sent to the Governor, the Department of Mental Health, and the governing bodies of the counties concerned. The number of members representing each county must be proportional to its population. The term of office of each member of the community mental health board is four years and until the member's successor is appointed. Vacancies must be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as original appointments. A member of a board may be removed by the Governor pursuant to the provisions
of Section 1 3 240. A person may serve consecutive terms.

Powers and duties of community mental health boards:
Subject to the provisions of this article and the rules and regulations of the Department of Mental Health, each community mental health board shall:
  • Be the administrative agency for the community mental health services program; and it shall be a body corporate in deed and in law with all the powers incident to corporation, including the power to purchase, lease or sell real and personal property;
  • Employ personnel necessary to carry out the community mental health services program, who shall meet the job specifications as prescribed by the Department and its merit system;
  • Review and evaluate community mental health services provided pursuant to this article and report its findings and recommendations to the Department, the administrator of the local program and, when indicated, the public;
  • Recruit and promote local financial support for the program from private sources such as community chests, business, industrial and private foundations, voluntary agencies and other lawful sources, and promote public support for municipal and county appropriations;
  • Promote, arrange and implement working agreements with other social service agencies, both public and private, and with other educational and judicial agencies;
  • Advise the administrator of the local program on the adoption and implementation of policies to stimulate effective community relations; and
  • Review the annual plan and budget of the local program and make recommendations thereon.
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