The BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation Awards 15 Grants
In its fall 2024 funding cycle, the BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation awarded 15 grants in support of nine projects. Grant recipients focus on improving health in key areas of concern for economically vulnerable South Carolinians. The newly awarded projects focus on oral health, mental health and diabetes. They also aim to increase the health care workforce and improve access to care across South Carolina.
Oral Health
Head Start Expansion — Phase I (3 years)
Organizations: Beaufort Jasper Hampton Comprehensive Health Services (Beaufort, Hampton and Jasper Counties), CareSouth Carolina (Chesterfield, Darlington, Lee, Marlboro and Dillon Counties), ChildSmiles Dental Clinic (Marion County), Fetter Health Care Network (Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester Counties), Little River Medical Center (Marion and Horry Counties), ReGenesis Healthcare Services (Cherokee and Spartanburg Counties).
Summary: This project aims to expand the School Based Oral Health (SBOH) model to Head Start programs. It will provide preventive oral health care to children aged 3 – 5. Ultimately, the project’s major outcome will increase the number of children receiving preventive care and decrease untreated caries. Moreover, the project will build long-term partnerships with Head Start sites and improve oral health education for staff and families. The project will set up clinics at six Head Start locations. This expansion is expected to affect approximately 2,000 children.
Mental Health
Replication of Intensive Case Support Services for Zero to Three (3 years)
Organization: South Carolina Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers (SCNCAC) (Berkeley, Charleston, Dorchester and Lexington Counties)
Summary: This project aims to expand the Safe Babies Teams (SBT) model to new counties. It will provide intensive case support services for children ages 0 – 3 who are in foster care or at risk of removal. The project’s major outcome will increase the number of children who reach permanency. The project also aims to help these children reach permanency three times faster. This will reduce trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs). Additionally, the project will connect parents to mental health and other resources and streamline the referral process for therapy and services. The project is expected to affect approximately 6,000 infants and toddlers.
Expansion of Mental Health Support Services for At-Risk Youth (2 years)
Organization: Landmarks for Families (Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester Counties)
Summary: Building on Landmarks for Families’ existing framework, this project aims to provide additional, targeted mental health services for teens and preteens in the foster care system. The project’s major outcome will serve an estimated 75 adolescents with clinical mental health services. These services will assist adolescents to develop protective factors — such as healthy behaviors, coping skills and social support — that will help them deal with stress and trauma. The project is expected to affect approximately 200 individuals.
Integrated Adolescent Mental Health Pilot (2 years)
Organization: AnMed Health (Anderson County)
Summary: This project aims to launch an integrated mental health counseling and case management pilot model for youth ages 11 – 17 at a pediatric and adolescent practice. The major outcome will provide on-site mental health services to adolescents. This will reduce emergency room visits and improve connections to resources. This project will also benefit the community by providing early screenings for all clinic patients and addressing nonurgent mental health needs quickly and comprehensively. This project is expected to affect at least 300 adolescents.
Diabetes
FoodShare: Regional Hub Transition and Veggie Rx Expansion (2 years)
Organization: University of South Carolina School of Medicine — Columbia FoodShare (Statewide)
Summary: This project aims to transition the Veggie RX program from a direct-to-consumer model to a regional “hub” model. This change will increase operational efficiency and expand the Veggie Rx program. The project’s major outcome will increase the number of FoodShare boxes packed each year to more than 150,000. The project also aims to boost the number of participants using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to access fresh food. The hub model will leverage the SC Thrive Hub, which connects recipients to additional benefits and supportive services.
Evolving Approaches: Increased Access
Vision 2030 Phase II — Prevent, Correct and Rehab (3 years)
Organization: Lions Vision Services (Statewide)
Summary: This project aims to provide comprehensive eye care services to economically vulnerable individuals through a collaborative partnership among three core providers: Servants for Sight (SFS), Lions Vision Services (LVS), and the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (ABVI). The project’s major outcome will increase the number of uninsured or underinsured individuals receiving vision and eye services. This, in turn, will improve these individuals’ overall health and economic independence. The project is expected to affect more than 4,000 individuals.
Learning Collaborative Expansion (2 years)
Organization: American Cancer Society (ACS) (Statewide)
Summary: This project aims to expand a quality improvement learning collaborative to increase cancer screenings and vaccinations in member clinics of the South Carolina Free Clinic Association. The project’s major outcome will improve screening and vaccination rates for five cancers (colorectal, cervical, lung, breast and prostate) by December 2026. The project will also provide training for clinic staff and create a quality culture to reduce costs and improve care. The project is expected to affect approximately 92,000 individuals.
Evolving Approaches: Workforce Development
Rural Family Medicine Graduate Medical Education Consortium (1 year)
Organization: South Carolina Medical Association Foundation (SCMA)
Summary
This project will help build the infrastructure necessary for the SCMA to pursue accreditation from the national accrediting entity for a GME-accredited rural residency program in family medicine, with a focus on obstetric care. Once accreditation is approved, the rural residency program would operate in several rural hospitals. This will increase the number of family medicine physicians in rural communities and create a network of providers who are invested in the program's success. Moreover, these providers would offer critical medical services that could improve maternal and child health outcomes.
Health Care Pathways Support
Summary: This project provides a novel approach to workforce support for low-income individuals, focusing on removing financial barriers to obtaining medical credentials. The major outcome will increase graduation and certification completion rates by providing emergency financial, medical and personal support. The project is expected to affect approximately 160,000 individuals combined across the two projects.
Organization: AIM (Anderson Interfaith Ministries) (Anderson, Oconee and Pickens Counties) (1 year)
This project will support SNAP recipients who are seeking a health degree or certificate completion. It will utilize a novel workforce approach as part of the South Carolina Department of Social Services Employment Pathways program.
Organization: USC Beaufort (Beaufort County) (2 years)
This project will support nursing students toward degree completion through a novel workforce approach.