A $50,000 Donation Is Helping Bring Free Mental Health Support to More South Carolina Families

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. — The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Charleston has received a significant $50,000 donation from HCA Healthcare’s South Atlantic Division. This contribution aims to enhance free mental health education, outreach, and support services throughout the Lowcountry region.

Expanding access across the region

The funds will be used to establish new support groups, provide free advocacy, and offer presentations and classes for individuals living with mental health conditions and their families. Additionally, the donation will help NAMI Charleston expand its programming in underserved communities and on local college campuses.

Lori Smith, the executive director of NAMI Charleston, emphasized the importance of this funding.

“It’s going to open more doors for us to be able to provide free support groups, free advocacy, free presentations, and free classes for the people in the Lowcountry that have mental health conditions and their families,” she said.

This is the second year in a row that HCA Healthcare has contributed to NAMI Charleston. Last year’s donation supported NAMI Walks, an event that brings together individuals, families, and communities to celebrate mental health for all.

College campuses and underserved communities in focus

Smith explained that part of the new funding will go toward launching NAMI on Campus, a program designed to bring peer-led support groups and mental health outreach directly to local colleges.

“We are planning on starting NAMI on campus in the area, so that’s going into the local colleges to start support groups and outreach around mental health and peer-led support groups inside the colleges,” Smith said. “Also, we are wanting to get out into the underserved communities that are not being served right now.”

She described how this community outreach will take shape.

“What it’s going to look like is we’re going to attend more of their community events so that we can tell them who NAMI is and what we offer,” she said. “And then after that we hope to start some support groups in their area so they have the support that they need.”

A shift in how people seek help

Matthew Dorman, director of clinical operations at Live Oak Mental Health and Wellness, noted that the partnership reflects a broader trend in mental health care.

“We do believe that NAMI’s efforts and other efforts to bring awareness to those that have mental health issues, we are seeing positive results in that,” Dorman said. “More people are seeking mental health care than ever before.”

Dorman highlighted the change from previous years.

“It wasn’t all that long ago that people did not seek mental health care with the regularity that they are now,” he said. “So, people are not suffering in silence as they once did.”

Stopping stigma, one conversation at a time

Smith shared the core message behind the donation.

“No one’s alone and that we are here to walk beside them and their families if they have a mental health condition, if they have questions about mental health, and also to stop the stigma around mental health,” she said. “The more you talk about it, the easier it is to get help and to find support so you’re not alone.”

NAMI is a grassroots mental health organization with over 600 offices nationwide. It offers free support groups, presentations, classes, and advocacy for people with mental health conditions.

NAMI Charleston’s annual NAMI Walk is scheduled for October 3 at Palmetto Island County Park. Registration is free at NAMICharlestonarea.org.

If you or someone you know needs support, call or text 988 for free, confidential help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.