‘We will welcome you in’: FHC recognized for commitment to care

The federally qualified health center provides valuable, holistic health services, he said.

“With that premise and with that vision to make life in rural South Carolina better, it has happened. The verdict is in. You guys are one of the best. Not enough can be said about that,” Stephens said.

Stephens, D-Bowman, was the featured speaker during an Aug. 8 stakeholders breakfast which Family Health Centers Inc. held at its Training Center on Presidential Drive in Orangeburg.

Stephens called FHC “the glue that held our communities together as it relates to health care.”

FHC’s service area includes seven satellite sites. Adult medicine, pediatrics and OB/GYN are among the services provided.

Stephens said the COVID-19 pandemic revealed the health disparities which are still prevalent in communities, particularly in rural South Carolina.

He commended FHC for continuing to improve its services.

“A large portion of our citizens are either uninsured or underinsured. … There truly exists a funding gap that has almost decimated the rural health care services throughout this district and the state of South Carolina.

“Three of the most prevalent diseases, renal disease, hypertension and diabetes, run rampant in my district. We must start early in the life of our citizens to promote a healthy lifestyle,” he said.

Stephens continued, “We must start to look after those agencies that are providing services to all of our citizens that are convenient, affordable and accessible. The funding of health care in our state continues to be a much-debated issue in our General Assembly; however, the time has come to lessen debate and craft an affordable health care system that will ensure that the population is truly cared for.”

Stephens, a member of the Lower Savannah Council of Governments’ board of directors, said the LSCOG seeks to eliminate transportation barriers that many individuals face in accessing affordable health care.

“In order to ensure adequate health care, we must look at agencies like Family Health Centers and others to assure our citizens that health care is there for them in their respective communities,” he said.

Stephens noted FHC has seven satellite sites which cover a wide swath of territory.

“Each one of those satellites may be serving folks who are different socioeconomically, but the bottom line is they all need health care that is accessible and affordable and convenient. You do that, and you do that with such a passion, dedication and commitment. … You provide so many different services, I was overwhelmed,” Stephens said.

“You do a fantastic job. … The love that you have for the whole man is evident. Keep on doing what you’re doing,” he said.

FHC Chief Executive Officer Leon Brunson Sr. highlighted the FHC’s receipt of a two-year, $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to improve maternal health care. He announced during the ceremony that five providers will be hired, including two obstetricians and three midwives.

“We are going to cover every inch of the area that we serve, making sure we have quality health care available for females in our service area,” he said.

Other achievements included FHC’s launch of a dental program designed to provide access to dental care for school-aged children.

“Fifty percent of the children in our service area have never gone to the dentist. This is 2023. That’s amazing. … We have to make sure every child has an opportunity to receive dental care,” Brunson said.

“We will continued to progress and develop. As long as we have patients that knock at the door and say, ‘We need help,’ regardless of their ability to pay, we will welcome you in and serve you with dignity and respect,” the CEO said.

Rep. Russell Ott, D-St. Matthews, and Sen. Brad Hutto, D-Orangeburg, were among the state legislators at the breakfast.

Hutto said it is important to have high-quality health care available to all citizens.

“Family Health Centers has been a part of our community for 50 years now. It is part of the health care delivery system that our citizens have become accustomed to. They have proven time and time again that they are available,” he said.

Hutto continued, “We certainly celebrate them as they continue to grow. They’re going out in the community. They’re not just here in Orangeburg. They have branches in the rural communities because transportation is an issue for a lot of our citizens. It’s important that we continue to support them in their mission to serve all the people of our area.”

Lathran J. Woodard, chief operating officer of the state Primary Health Care Association, was among the state and local officials on hand for the Aug. 8 event.

During the breakfast, Woodard read a proclamation from Gov. Henry McMaster, who proclaimed Aug. 6-12 S.C. Health Center Week. Woodard also read a similar proclamation from the National Association of Community Health Centers.

“We deliver that care with compassion and dignity. It shouldn’t matter and it doesn’t matter to us your socioeconomic status. Everyone is treated with dignity, everyone gets quality care that is affordable. That’s what makes health centers unique and different, and that’s what we are going to stand on,” Woodard said.

National Health Center Week 2023 was observed Aug. 6-12, marking the 58th year of the community health center movement. The theme for 2023 was “The Roadmap to a Stronger America.”

America’s health centers serve more than 32 million people across the nation, providing care to the medically vulnerable and underserved.