South Carolina Department of Mental Health

"Long wait times, rude staff, incompetent doctor"

"Hello! My recent experience with Denmark DMH has not been accepting. I am originally from the area and has a family member who lives there with mental health issues. He is constantly being picked up by the police dept and transported to Bamberg County Detention for trespassing what I’m told. There are some citizens who live there say, but he doesn’t be bothering anybody. Unbeknown, on an occasion I watched and observed this family member there in Denmark conducted himself near a business. He was sitting away from the business and in fact I witnessed someone going in that business and returned giving him a drink that he purchased for my family member. Denmark is a small town and everybody knows everybody. I recently requested a virtual meeting with some of the town elected officials. I have yet to receive that invite. How is it that those that suffer from mental illness can be picked up and taken to jail, given a court date, fined with a bond fee, let out of jail before the bond hearing, then left to find their on ride from Bamberg to Denmark which is 7-8 miles away! How is that the mental health site in Denmark cannot provide a family member information of the assigned case manager and the site administrator cannot be reached when a family member call the office there in Denmark and the receptionist cannot say when he will return in the office? Why is that before a family member is taken to jail, the police department not seek professional assistance from the mental health office in Denmark? Why is it that people who we have to do a job not doing the best they can in the services they’re working in. Tell me who is being held accountable?"