DPH to Create Statewide Plan to Prevent Community Violence
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Oct. 30, 2024
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is seeking community input to help develop the first statewide strategic plan to support Community Violence Intervention and Prevention (CVIP) programs in South Carolina.
In late-October, DPH, in conjunction with ISI Consulting, will distribute a survey to gather information from community members throughout the state about the influences of community violence where they live. The survey will be active from Oct. 30, 2024, to December 20, 2024. DPH encourages South Carolina residents to take the survey, which is available in English and Spanish.
Data from the survey will be shared in January 2025 and will be used to determine high-level goals for the state and strategies to reach them through the newly formed Community Violence Intervention and Prevention program. Those, in turn, may be used to inform crucial local decisions and coordinate initiatives among various groups.
“Community violence is a prevalent issue in South Carolina, like many other states,” said Constance Lake, DPH’s CVIP program manager. “DPH is excited to fund local programs with the ultimate goal of reducing violence and keeping South Carolinians and our communities safe.”
CVIP awards mini-grants to nonprofit and community-based partnerships that serve communities disproportionately affected by violence and are to be used to implement initiatives aimed at reducing violence.
Grant recipients have included entities such as Be Strong Families in Richland and Darlington counties, which educates parents and youth on gun violence and prevention, and the Medical University of South Carolina Turning the Tide Violence Intervention Program (Charleston, Dorchester, and Berkeley counties), which started the first hospital-based violence intervention program.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics, South Carolina has consistently ranked in the top 10 states with the highest firearm-related homicides for the past 20 years. DPH data shows firearms as the leading cause of death for South Carolina children and adolescents ages 0-17 in 2021.
DPH’s CVIP program was established by a proviso from the South Carolina Legislature in 2022. Grant funds were made available through the CDC’s “Strengthening U.S. Public Health Infrastructure, Workforce and Data Systems” grant.
###
Tags
DPH to Create Statewide Plan to Prevent Community Violence
View AllDPH Authorizes One-Time Early Refill of Schedule III-V Prescriptions Due to Potential Tropical Storm Imelda
Read Full ArticleFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sept. 28, 2025COLUMBIA, S.C. – Due to expected arrival and potential impacts of potential Tropical Storm Imelda, the S.C. Dept. of Public Health (DPH) has authorized a one-time early refill of Schedule III-V prescriptions for valid refills that are due through Saturday, Oct. 4.
Dispensers shall pull all original controlled substances prescriptions and document the early refill information in detail, including, but not limited to, date, time, reason for early refill, and pharmacist signature.
-
DPH Confirms Measles in Upstate Resident; Fourth Case of Measles in South Carolina in 2025
Read Full ArticleFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sept. 26, 2025COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) has confirmed a case of measles in an Upstate resident. This is the fourth confirmed case of measles reported in South Carolina since July 2025.
-
Rabid Raccoon Confirmed in Colleton County; One Person Exposed
Read Full ArticleFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sept. 25, 2025COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed that a raccoon found near McLeod Road and Exit 62 Interstate 95 in Walterboro, S.C., has tested positive for rabies. One person was exposed and has been referred to their health care provider.
-
DPH Recognizes Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
Read Full ArticleFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Sept. 25, 2025COLUMBIA, S.C. — In observance of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in September, the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) joins partners across the state in raising awareness about pediatric cancer and supporting families affected by it.