South Carolina Department of Mental Health

Health System with 2 hospitals across 1 state

Health System Overview

Health SystemSouth Carolina Department of Mental Health
Total Hospitals2
Commercial/Acute Hospitals0
Total Beds743
Commercial/Acute Beds0
HeadquartersColumbia, SC
Websitescdmh.org

Hospitals by Type

Psychiatric
2 hospitals
100% of health system

Teaching Status

0%
Teaching
Teaching Hospitals:
Non-Teaching Hospitals: 2
Teaching hospitals serve as educational institutions for medical professionals while providing patient care.

Hospital Locations

Hospitals in this Health System

HospitalTypeBedsTeachingRecently Joined
G Werber Bryan Psychiatric HospitalPsychiatric543NoNo
Patrick B. Harris Psychiatric HospitalPsychiatric200NoNo

Recent News

Apr 08, 2025
State officials have listed the building housing the South Carolina Department of Mental Health headquarters in Columbia for sale. The four-story office building and the eight acres it occupies are being marketed with an asking price upwards of $5.1 million. The property, located at 2414 Bull St., has served as the SCDMH headquarters for decades and is situated next to the rapidly developing BullStreet District. The sale is part of a larger plan to relocate several state health agencies, with the SCDMH headquarters set to move to a new location in Cayce. The state is scheduled to begin accepting bids for the property on May 16, 2025. This move follows the restructuring of state health and environmental agencies that was finalized in the previous year, a process involving significant costs for updates and relocation. [13]
Mar 14, 2025
The South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH) has been added as a defendant in a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Jared Ondrea, a 22-year-old man allegedly murdered and cannibalized by another resident at New Hope Home Solutions, a mental health assisted living facility in Richland County. According to the lawsuit, SCDMH employees recommended that Ondrea, who had mild mental health issues and was an outpatient under the agency's care, consider living in the Harper Street facility for independent living skills and socialization. The family claims SCDMH employees repeatedly assured them the facility was suitable and safe, despite allegedly knowing that another resident, Marc-Anthony Cantrell, had a history of violence. The lawsuit accuses the facility and SCDMH of gross negligence and wrongful death, stating the facility was not suitable for housing mental health patients, especially those with violent tendencies. The family reportedly offered to settle with SCDMH for $600,000, but the department declined, and the case is pending.
Mar 14, 2025
The South Carolina Mental Health Commission held a meeting on April 4, 2025. The Mental Health Commission is the governing body of the South Carolina Department of Mental Health, responsible for setting policies and overseeing the department's operations. Meetings of the commission typically involve discussions on budget matters, program updates, strategic planning, and other important issues related to the provision of mental health services across the state.
Mar 12, 2025
The South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH) was recently added as a defendant in an existing lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed by Peggy Ondrea, is against the operator of a care home in Columbia where her grandson, Jared Ondrea, was allegedly killed. The original defendant was New Hope Solutions Home LLC, which runs the care home. According to the lawsuit, SCDMH employees allegedly recommended the Harper Street group home to the Ondrea family, assuring them it was suitable and safe for Jared, who had mild mental health issues and was an outpatient under the agency's care. The lawsuit claims SCDMH was aware that the alleged killer had severe mental illness that persisted after his release from prison. An attorney for New Hope Solutions Home LLC stated that including the Department of Mental Health in the matter is appropriate. A spokeswoman for SCDMH declined to comment on the pending litigation. [3]
Mar 12, 2025
A lawsuit has been filed against the South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH) and the operator of a Columbia care home following the death of Jared Ondrea, who was allegedly killed and cannibalized by another resident. The lawsuit, brought by Ondrea's grandmother, claims that SCDMH employees recommended the Harper Street group home to the family for the 22-year-old, assuring them it was a suitable, safe, and beneficial environment for learning independent living skills and socialization. However, the lawsuit alleges that SCDMH was aware that the other resident, the alleged killer, had continued to suffer from severe mental illness while in prison and after his release. The Department of Mental Health was recently added as a defendant to the existing lawsuit against New Hope Solutions Home LLC, the operator of the care home. SCDMH has declined to comment on the pending litigation.

Executive Leadership

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