Waccamaw Center for Mental Health

Our History

2000- Today

2012 -The Center continued to experience the critical impact of severe budget cuts noted by reduction in staff and loss of medical staff.  The reduction in medical services was supplemented by locum tenens services which continued to drain the center’s resources. The Executive Director retired. The Medical Director resigned to return to his home town in the state of New York.  Ethel Blake Bellamy became the Executive Director.

2013 -Dr. Rupa Shetty, also a Child Psychiatrist, was hired as the new Medical Director.  A second Child Psychiatrist and an adult psychiatrist were hired helping to stabilize medical services to the clinics. Collaborations with community partners were renewed.  Funding was secured from Horry County to assist with acute care and medication needs for indigent clients.  Sheriff Phillip Thompson, along with Waccamaw, organized a local community planning group to pursue establishing a Mental Health Court in Horry County.  The center was awarded four school based expansion positions via special legislative funding to the Department.  We completed tele-psych program by linking all three clinics via tele-psych for psychiatric services.  Tele-psych enables psychiatric service to our most remote and hardest to recruit clinic of the Center, Williamsburg County.

2014 - The first foundation grant awarded to the Center was given to Georgetown Clinic by Bunnelle Foundation to enhance employment skills for Youth In Transition with mental illness. Georgetown County School System resumed funding support for School based counselors.  Horry County increased funding to the Center through the Community Development Block Grant.  The Center initiated contract negotiations with Little River Medical Center, FQHC, to provide pediatric psychiatry via tele-psych to Little River Medical Center.  Senator Ray Cleary successfully sponsored a legislative bill which empowers local county government to place a millage referendum for mental health services to public vote.  Waccamaw received legislative funding dedicated to Youth In Transition Programs.  The Center’s   first APRN position was hired. We resumed filling long term vacated positions.  The Center opened its doors to rapid access to services while continuing same day access for crisis services.