DPH Highlights Community Engagement Staff During National Health Education Week

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Oct. 19, 2026

The South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) is observing National Health Education Week (Oct. 19-23) by recognizing the critical work of the agency’s community engagement staff in the communities they serve.  

Celebrated annually during the third week of October, National Health Education Week aims to increase national awareness on major public health issues and promote a better understanding of the role of health education.

Health educators have been an integral part of the South Carolina public health workforce for decades. DPH employs health educators who serve in a variety of roles across the agency, including program subject matter experts and consultants to community partners, program evaluators, program managers, and community engagement specialists. These staff develop and implement policy, systems and environmental change at all levels in our state.  

DPH’s community engagement specialists serve as the agency’s local health educators, working with community organizations to provide health education and to help communities develop and implement long-term solutions to address their specific needs.  

“Our community engagement specialists work with local partners to build healthier communities across the state,” said Karla Buru, DPH deputy director of Health Strategy and External Affairs & Chief of Staff. “The work they do goes far beyond sharing information. They help communities assess their needs, build partnerships, and develop long-term strategies that improve overall well‑being.”

The work done by DPH’s community engagement specialists largely depends on the needs of the communities they are working with. Recent efforts by DPH and its partners include:

• Working to re-establish a community garden in the Pee Dee to teach preschoolers about healthy eating,
• Leading a walkability improvement project and developing an educational crosswalk safety video in the Midlands,  
• Developing surveys and utilizing the results to address specific needs related to employment and health needs in the Lowcountry, and  
• Providing additional training for Upstate staff that provide client counseling and referral to Quitline services to reduce tobacco use.  

DPH community engagement specialists have also worked with Wholespire to implement strategies to promote healthy eating and active living at the community level. DPH and Wholespire collaborate with local coalitions to conduct needs assessments and develop health improvement plans to address local issues of access to affordable and nutritious foods and safe and affordable places to be physically active.  

"The trust that community engagement specialists build through relationships allows communities to have a voice in the decisions that affect them,” said Meg Stanley, Wholespire executive director. “Community engagement is the link to making successful initiatives about more than simply providing access to a resource—it’s about education, relationship-building, and understanding what it means to live in and be part of a community.”

DPH’s Community Engagement team is also comprised of community health workers, trusted members of the community who work to connect residents with resources they need, including transportation, healthcare and nutritious foods.  

Community health workers help connect individuals to existing services and provide health information through one-on-one coaching, community presentations, workshops, and educational outreach at local events.

Last year, DPH’s community health workers served 4,391 clients and attended 703 community events across the state.  

“Community health workers are a vital link between DPH and the people we serve,” Buru said. “Trusted and deeply rooted in local neighborhoods, they break down barriers and ensure residents connect with the services they need.”

Visit DPH’s Community Health Worker Program webpage to learn more and connect with a local community health worker.

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