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Local health company grows with needs of community
By Lindsay Danzell
Contributing Writer
A 15-year-old boy lived in a world clouded by drugs, pornography and abuse. In response to his environment, he developed a tensed posture and began acting out his frustration with physical violence. Any attempt to help him was met with resistance and rebellion.
Charleston-based Palmetto Behavioral Health System knows this story.
As the population of the Lowcountry has grown, so have the needs of the community for more mental health care services, said Dan Body, chief executive officer of North Charleston’s Palmetto Behavioral Health System.
“There is a demand for Palmetto Behavioral Health System’s flexibility and resources to meet the needs of our community,” Body said. “We’re trying to identify where the needs are and grow to meet community needs.”
Via its parent company, Psychiatric Solutions Inc., Palmetto acquired Pines Residential Treatment Center in Summerville from Alternative Behavioral Services in December to add to its growing services. The facility was renamed Palmetto Pines Behavioral Health.
Acquiring the Pines facility fulfilled Palmetto’s mission to better meet the needs of the tri-county, Body said.
Palmetto Pines is the only residential treatment facility in the Lowcountry.
There is a shortage of behavioral health services, and that shortage has forced centers such as Palmetto Pines to develop into more diverse facilities to meet community needs, said Kathy McClelland, senior vice president of strategic development for Palmetto Behavioral Health Systems. Palmetto Pines is the only free-standing behavioral health facility in the lower half of South Carolina, Body said.
Because of the increased need for behavioral services, McClelland and Body expected the Pines to reach full capacity by January. Palmetto will add 10 beds to its main facility in the first quarter of 2007 to expand existing services.
In the case of the 15-year-old, he checked into the Pines, was given therapeutic behavioral health care to combat his feeling of low self-worth and other issues. Through intense therapy, he learned to stop unleashing his anger on others and learned how to overcome his past.
For more information, visit www.palmettobehavioralhealth.com.
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