SC Safe Seniors Program 

Overview

The SC Safe Seniors is a VOCA-funded program focuses on addressing the mental health needs of South Carolina’s seniors. For almost a decade, this innovative program has provided evidence based mental health counseling to trauma affected older adults and strives to educate and increase awareness of the prevalence and symptoms of trauma.  

Elder Abuse Assessment Training

SC Safe Seniors training initiatives strive to increase awareness about the prevalence and risk factors for trauma by offering community and agency-based trainings.

• Identifying and Referring Elder Mistreatment: Our flagship training prepares health care and service providers to identify the signs and symptoms of elder abuse and trauma. We provide the language, assessment materials, and referral sources to facilitate routine comprehensive screening and referral.

• Staying Safe as You Age: Our community-based training strives to educate older adults about elder abuse risk, how to protect themselves and their peers, and resources if they have been victimized. Training are held at senior centers, churches, libraries, rotary clubs and at community events. 

• Mental Health 101: SC Safe Seniors offers psychoeducational trainings on symptoms and treatments for common mental health conditions, including Depression, Anxiety, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). These trainings are suitable for service providers as well as community members. 
  
  
  

Mental Health Counseling

SC Safe Seniors offers evidence based mental health counseling to trauma affected older adults. Services are FREE for those that qualify.

Eligibility: Adults 55+ living in South Carolina who are struggling to cope with experiencing a traumatic event in their lives.

Service Delivery: Counseling is provided via telehealth over a secure video conferencing platform. Providers are trained on telehealth delivery, and if needed are able to support patients with the use of technology. SC Safe Seniors does have the ability to provide an iPad for use during treatment if required.

Training Opportunities: In partnership with the Citadel, SC Safe Seniors currently offers clinical training opportunities for Master’s level students.

Community Based Support

SC Safe Seniors offers supportive community engagement groups In partnership with local senior centers, Waring Senior Center and The Lowcountry Senior Center.

Fun with Flowers: This mindfulness-based group engages older adults in the joy of flower arranging while offering opportunities to interact with peers and relieve stress.

Stress Less: This skills-based group provides techniques and strategies to increase coping and decrease overall stress.

Program Goals

• Increase Access to Care: Expand evidence-based effective behavioral health services to a population with limited access to health care through the use of Telehealth.
  
• Develop a Skilled Workforce: Expand the mental health workforce with training and experience working with older adults
  
• Promote a Community-Based Safety Net: Increase awareness and screening procedures for elder abuse and trauma to increase vigilance and safety to promote community residing older adults’ ability to age in place.

Partnerships and Commitment

SC Safe Seniors is fortunate to partner with numerous community-based programs, state agencies and universities, as well as several health care providers across the state. Through these partnerships, SC Safe Seniors have been able to increase awareness of elder abuse and trauma, and increase access to mental health services for South Carolina’s older adults.

For Additional Inquiries, please contact us at elderabusehelp@musc.edu.

Program Leaders: