CAYCE, S.C. (WCSC) – The South Carolina Department of Public Health released details Thursday about health partnerships and a 5-year plan designed to make South Carolinians healthier.
The agency partnered with the Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina and others for the 2025-2030 South Carolina State Health Improvement Plan, which it has nicknamed “SHIP.” It is a roadmap for a healthier future for the state, SCDPH Deputy Director of Health Strategy Dr. Karla Buru said.
“The plan not only outlines objectives we hope to achieve as a state but also provides our communities with strategies and steps to reach those goals,” she said. “We are hopeful that the plan will be a critical tool in our mission to protect, promote, and improve the health and well-being of everyone in South Carolina.”
The plan emphasizes innovative, evidence-informed strategies and a results-based approach, with a focus on the following priority areas:
Chronic health conditions
Behavioral health
Maternal and infant health
Affordable and nutritious foods
Safe and affordable places to be physically active
Access to high-quality care
Income and poverty
Education
Neighborhood and community development
“The SHIP gives us a clear direction, but it’s collaboration that will carry us forward,” Alliance for a Healthier South Carolina Executive Director Monty Robertson said. “By joining forces across every sector and community, we can turn shared vision into real, measurable improvements for our state.”
State health leaders hope the partners in the initiative will use the plan as a guide for their strategies going forward.
Click here to read the full plan.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.