The S.C. Department of Health and Human Services, in partnership with Children’s Trust, is launching Community Connections, a free 24/7 online database of resources that connects South Carolinians in need with available social and health care services across the state. Individuals can search for free or low-cost services like medical care; employment and job training opportunities; food and financial assistance; and, education, transportation and child care resources in their communities.
The Community Connections database is available for anyone, regardless of whether they are enrolled in Healthy Connections Medicaid, and can be accessed through search bars on scdhhs.gov/communityconnections and scParents.org. This search resource is powered by the Find Help platform, which works nationwide to make it easier for people seeking help to find social services in their communities.
“Community Connections is an exciting new way to strengthen communities by pairing South Carolinians with resources that can improve health and family financial outcomes,” SCDHHS Director Robert Kerr said. “Through Community Connections, SCDHHS will encourage healthy behaviors and help those in need overcome barriers to self-sustainability and financial independence by pairing them with existing programs and resources that can help address specific needs. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners at other state agencies and community-based organizations like Children’s Trust to continue to grow this easily accessible database of useful resources.”
The platform is available in a wide range of languages, including Spanish. Specific search categories include health care resources, employment and job training opportunities, education opportunities, food and housing assistance, child care and transportation resources, financial aid and financial education resources, and other community services. Within each of these broader categories, subcategories help users narrow their search.
“With more than 60 percent of the children in South Carolina enrolled in Medicaid, this work is critical to improving the well-being of children, their families, and the communities in which they live,” Children’s Trust CEO Sue Williams said. “We know that connecting families to the resources they need to keep children healthy and safe is a critical protective factor in the prevention of child abuse and neglect.”
Organizations that want their services to be included on the Find Help platform are encouraged to claim their program and to use the platform as a referral system. It is available at no charge. Stakeholder webinars and demonstration sessions for the platform are available by contacting Amelia Wilks, Children’s Trust community relations coordinator, at awilks@scchildren.org.
