News
Disability Organizations Demand Urgent Reforms to Medicaid Services for Children in South Carolina
October 17, 2024
Yesterday a demand letter was issued to the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS), Department of Mental Health (SCDMH), and Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (SCDDSN), urging immediate reforms to ensure that all Medicaid-enrolled children in the state receive the services they are legally entitled to under federal law. This letter was signed by multiple disability organizations to include Disability Rights South Carolina, Able SC, AccessAbility, Walton Options for Independent Living, and New Disabled South.
The letter highlights serious concerns with South Carolina’s Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT) program. This program is supposed to offer full healthcare services to all children on Medicaid. However, many disabled children in South Carolina cannot get the services they need through this program, especially children with Behavioral Health and co-occurring disabilities. These services include care coordination, in-home support, mobile crisis help, and other important care. These services are crucial for keeping children from being placed in institutions unnecessarily. The letter calls on the South Carolina state agencies to collaborate with the disability community to address these systemic failures and develop meaningful solutions within the next 30 days.