South Carolina considers breaking up public health agency
As in most states, South Carolina's public health agency was underfunded and overworked long before it had to sustain an exhausting defense against a virus humans had never seen before. Unlike most public health agencies, South Carolina's portfolio has included environmental regulation since the 1970s. AdSenate President Harvey Peeler is ready to split DHEC apart, bundling public health duties with the state's mental health department and funneling environmental permitting operations to other state agencies. Public health resources were slashed by lawmakers during the Great Recession, and board members' terms lapsed under Gov. Simmer told lawmakers who confirmed him this month that he believes the agency’s environmental and public health halves complement each other.