Other Resources & Helping Agencies for SC Families

These external links provide information and resources consistent with the SC Department of Social Services' (SCDSS's) intended purpose of connecting individuals and families to needed resources. SCDSS cannot attest to the accuracy of information provided on these sites and linking to a non-dss.sc.gov webpage does not constitute an endorsement by SCDSS. Please be aware that SCDSS's Privacy/Nondiscrimination Protection may not be applicable at the external link.

Statewide Assistance Search Portals

• SC 211 Find help with employment, food, healthcare, rent/shelter/utility bill assistance and more. 
  • Local residents can dial 211 from a landline or mobile phone to connect with a United Way agent for information or assistance. 
  • Text "DSS" to 211211 for a menu of DSS programs and services.
• SC Parents Search and connect to support for financial assistance, food pantries, medical care and other free or reduced-cost help.
• SC Thrive One-stop shop to find resources, get access to public assistance benefits and help completing applications.
  
  

Adult Protection/Adult Advocacy

• AARP South Carolina
• ABLE SC
• Alzheimer’s Association
• Benefits Data Trust (BDT) 
• Disability Rights South Carolina
• Get Care SC Facility Locator
• SC Adult Protection Coordinating Council
• SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN)
• SC Department of Mental Health (DMH)
• SC Department on Aging
• South Carolina Human Trafficking Taskforce
• SC Long-Term Care Ombudsman’s Office
• SLED

 

Child Support Services

• Modify Child Support SC
• Office of Child Support Enforcement (USDHHS - Administration for Children & Families) 
• SC Judicial Department (Self-Represented Litigation Visitation Packets)

 

Child Care and Early Education

• SC Child Care
• First 5 SC
• SC First Steps 4K
• SC Head Start
• Palmetto Pre-K
• SC Child Care Resource and Referral (SCCR&R)
• SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN)
• SC Dept. of Education Early Learning and Family Literacy Resources
• SC Child Care Inclusion Collaborative
• Beginnings SC
• SC Department of Health and Environmental Control
  • Vaccination Information
  • Vital Records (Birth Certificates)
  • Parent Handbook: Staying Home from School or Child Care When Your Child is Sick
• SC Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Association (SCIMHA)
• SC Program for Infants and Toddlers (SC PITC)
• Help Me Grow South Carolina
• Children’s Trust of South Carolina
• Family Connection of South Carolina
• Edventure Children’s Museum

 

Child Protection and Well-Being

• Children’s Trust of South Carolina
• SC Department of Children’s Advocacy

• SC Department of Health and Environmental
  • Vaccination Information
  • Vital Records (Birth Certificates)
  • Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program
  • Child Passenger Safety Inspection Stations

• SC Foster Parent Association
• SC Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers
• Joint Council on Children and Adolescents
• Guardian Ad Litem for Children (Richland County CASA)
• Social Security Administration
• South Carolina Human Trafficking Taskforce
  
• Child Passenger Safety Inspection Stations
• Don’t Risk It-Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) Education & Prevention Information

 

Disabilities and Special Needs

• SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs (DDSN)
• Able SC
• Alzheimer’s Association
• Disability Rights South Carolina
• Get Care SC Facility Locator

 

Domestic Violence Prevention

• South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault
• Safe Place South Carolina
• Local DV Programs and Shelters

CASA/Family Systems
Hopeful Horizons 
Cumbee Center to Assist Abused Persons
Family Justice Center
Laurens County Safe Home
Meg’s House
My Sister’s House
Pee Dee Coalition Against Domestic & Sexual Assault
Safe Harbor
SAFE Homes – Rape Crisis Coalition
Safe Passage Inc.
Sistercare
YWCA of the Upper Lowlands

Emergency Preparedness

• SC Emergency Management Division Hurricane Preparedness Page
• SC Hurricane Guide
• Red Cross Hurricane Safety Plan
• Evacuation Zones
• SC National Guard

 

Employment Services

• SC Department of Employment and Workforce
• SC Works
  
  • SC Works Upstate - https://scworksupstate.com/
  • SC Works Greenville - https://greenvillewib.com/
  • SC Works Worklink - https://worklinkweb.com/en/
  • SC Works Upper Savannah - https://upperscworks.com/
  • SC Works Catawba - http://www.scworkscatawba.com/
  • SC Works Midlands - https://www.scworksmidlands.org/
  • SC Works Lower Savannah - https://www.lowersavannahwda.org/
  • SC Works Santee-Lynches - http://www.santeelynchescog.org/sc-works
  • SC Works Pee Dee - http://www.scworkspeedee.org/
  • SC Works Waccamaw - http://waccamawworks.org/
  • SC Works Trident - https://www.scworkstrident.org/
  • SC Works Lowcountry - http://www.lowcountrycog.org/
• SC Vocational Rehabilitation
• Able SC
• SC Technical College System
• Adult Education - SC Department of Education
• SC Chamber of Commerce
  
  

Fatherhood Programs

• The SC Center for Fathers and Families
• A Father’s Place (Horry, Georgetown, Marion, Williamsburg)
• A Father’s Way (Allendale, Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, Williamsburg)
• Man 2 Man (Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Marlboro)

• Midlands Fatherhood Coalition (Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Calhoun, Clarendon, Edgefield, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lee, Lexington, McCormick, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda, Sumter)

• Upstate Fatherhood Coalition (Abbeville, Anderson Cherokee, Greenwood, Laurens, Oconee, Pickens, Spartanburg)

 

Food Assistance

• SNAP
   APPLY ONLINE for SNAP benefits or call DSS Connect at 1-800-616-1309 for SNAP case information. 
  
• SC Food Banks
  • Golden Harvest Food Bank
    Serves Allendale, Aiken, Bamberg, Barnwell, Edgefield, McCormick Counties.
  • Harvest Hope Food Bank
    Serves Calhoun, Chester, Chesterfield, Clarendon, Darlington, Dillon, Fairfield, Florence, Greenville, Kershaw, Laurens, Lee, Lexington, Marion, Marlboro, Newberry, Orangeburg, Richland, Saluda and Sumter Counties.
  • Lowcountry Food Bank
    Serves Beaufort, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Georgetown, Hampton, Horry, Jasper, and Williamsburg Counties.
  • Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina
    Serves Cherokee, Lancaster, Spartanburg, Union, and York Counties. 
• SC Food Pantries
• WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children)
• SC Department of Education Summer Food Service Program

 

Health Care

• BabyNet (Early Intervention for Infants and Toddlers)
• Medicaid - SC Healthy Connections (SC Department of Health and Human Services)
• State Children’s Health Insurance Programs (SCHIP)
• Medicare
• SC Hospital Association
• SC Office of Rural Health
  
  

Housing

• SC State Housing Finance & Development Authority
• Homeless Shelters in South Carolina by Location
• Home Repairs: South Carolina HUD (Specific eligibility criteria applies.)
• Single Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants in South Carolina (A program of USDA Rural Development. Specific eligibility criteria applies.)
• South Carolina Interagency Council on Homelessness

 

Internet/Broadband Service

• Affordable Connectivity Program for Internet Service Discount
  
• Take the THE BETTER-INTERNET SURVEY

 

Legal Services

• South Carolina Bar Pro Bono Program
• SC Bar Lawyer Referral Service
• SC Legal Services
• Appleseed Legal Justice Center
  
  

Mental Health Services

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - Dial 988
• SC Department of Mental Health (Statewide Mobile Crisis Response Line 833-364-2274)
• National Alliance on Mental Illness – SC Affiliates
  
  

Substance Abuse Prevention

• DAODAS (Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services)

 

Transportation

• South Carolina Public Transit Providers: Map and County Listing (scdot.org)
• Transportation Beneficiary Information | SC DHHS (For Medicaid recipients. Transport to doctor appointments, dialysis, x-rays, lab work, drug store or other medical appointments.)

 

Utilities

• Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
• SC Stay Plus

 

Veterans Services

• US Department of Veterans Affairs
• SC Department of Veterans Affairs

 

Family Resource Centers (May vary in the services and resources they provide.)

• Children's Place
• Family Outreach of Horry County
• Family Solutions
• Just Say Something
• Lighthouse Ministries
• Middle Tyger Community Center
• Parenting Partnerships and Family Resource Center of York School District 1
• ParentSMART
• The Parenting Place
• Upstate Family Resource Center

 

(This webpage was last updated 02/05/24.)