Coastal Empire mental‑health center reports loss of federal grant, asks county for partial replacement funding

Representatives of Coastal Empire Community Mental Health Center told the finance committee they lost a federal grant and asked for county help to replace part of the funding so they can sustain mobile crisis, school‑based and community outpatient services in Beaufort County.

A presenter for the center explained that the agency — which now operates under the newly renamed Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities (the presentation referred to it as the Office of Mental Health within the new structure) — is the county’s largest provider of outpatient mental‑health services. The center said it operates two Beaufort County offices (Beaufort and Hilton Head) and that roughly half of its regional patient caseload is from Beaufort County.

The center reported fiscal‑year data showing growth in crisis and diversion work: year‑to‑date the center counted 553 crisis calls (compared with 585 calls for all of the prior fiscal year), 127 on‑site responses and 118 diversions so far in the current year (compared with 23 diversions last fiscal year), and an average response time of about 47 minutes for on‑scene mobile crisis responses. The center also described school mental‑health staffing in 14 Beaufort County schools using master’s‑level counselors to deliver in‑school services and family support.

Administrators told the committee they recently lost an ARPA‑funded SAMHSA grant; the grant termination removed roughly $225,000 that had been anticipated for 2025–26. The center said that loss reduces its operating budget (reported as about $10.4 million last year) and that state funding already covers roughly 49% of its budget, with the remainder primarily earned revenue. Because of the revoked federal support, the center requested county assistance equivalent to half of the revoked amount (the presentation referenced a requested figure of $112,500 and noted an earlier document error that misstated the math).

The presenters stressed the center’s commitment to not refusing care because of an inability to pay and said that they serve patients on a sliding‑fee and self‑pay basis when insurance is not available. They asked the county to consider continuing and expanded support so they can maintain mobile crisis capacity, school slots and community programming. The committee did not make an appropriation at the meeting; county staff said the center’s request will be considered in the outside‑agency budget process.

Administrators urged the county to consider the public‑safety and jail‑diversion benefits of funded mobile crisis services and noted the center’s role as a partner for emergency departments, law enforcement and schools.