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A proposed mental health and substance use treatment center in Belvedere, SC, is facing backlash from local residents due to its planned location near Belvedere Elementary School. Concerns over children’s safety and traffic risks were voiced at a recent public session, where nearly 500 community members signed a petition against the facility’s proximity to the school. Despite the South Carolina Department of Mental Health’s defense of the project, residents are pushing for its relocation to minimize potential dangers. The decision’s outcome remains uncertain as community advocacy continues.

Belvedere, SC – A proposed community health center aimed at providing mental health and substance use treatment services is generating significant concerns among local residents due to its planned location directly across from Belvedere Elementary School. The site, formerly occupied by the Belvedere United Methodist Church, is under review by the South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH), which plans to offer a range of mental health support aimed at local citizens.

Approximately 50 residents participated in a public listening session held at Belvedere Elementary on April 28, where concerns about the facility’s location were prominently voiced. Parents expressed fears for their children’s safety, given the center’s proximity to the school—which currently lacks a school resource officer on-site. Multiple residents questioned the necessity of placing the center directly across from a school, emphasizing their anxiety about potential risks posed to children.

A petition opposing the center’s location has garnered nearly 500 signatures from concerned community members. Local leaders, including Aiken County Councilman Sandy Haskell, acknowledged the community’s strong opposition ahead of the public hearing process. Many parents advocated for relocating the center to a commercial area, aiming to minimize possible safety risks to students.

During the session, SCDMH Deputy Director Deborah Blalock defended the proposal, remarking that similar co-located facilities have thrived in other regions of South Carolina without major issues. However, parents reiterated their concerns over traffic dangers associated with the treatment center and the surrounding perceptions of mental health patients, which could impact the safety and security of children attending the school.

Local representatives, including State Senator Shane Massey, called for the session after observing considerable public concern regarding the center’s proposed location. The executive directors of the Aiken Center and Aiken-Barnwell Mental Health Center were present to address community questions, spending nearly two hours discussing how the center would operate. The services planned for the new health center include mental health counseling, substance use disorder assessments, peer support recovery coaching, and vaccination services. However, the facility will not provide methadone prescriptions or treatment for sex offenses.

Prior experiences with mental health crises mentioned by speakers at the session fortified apprehensions about placing the center within such proximity to school children. Local school officials confirmed they were not directly involved in the location decision-making process but acknowledged the importance of considering student safety. They noted that discussions about the facility seemed to be a recent development within community conversations.

The South Carolina Department of Mental Health has yet to finalize the purchase of the proposed site, leaving open a potential avenue for community advocacy aimed at relocating the center. Some residents voiced concerns about transparency, indicating that details surrounding the rezoning process were not effectively communicated, limiting opportunities for public involvement in the project’s early stages.

With a strong emphasis on public safety, local parents are calling for a reassessment of the site’s suitability for a mental health facility. The pushback highlights a community consensus focused on ensuring the well-being of students while also recognizing the pressing need for mental health and substance use services in the area.

As the proposal progresses through local government channels, it remains to be seen how community advocacy will shape the future of the mental health center’s establishment in Belvedere.

Community Health Center Proposal Sparks Concerns Among Residents

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Author: hereaiken