Serving South Carolinians for 50 Years

July 1, 2023, commemorates the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control's (DHEC) 50 years of service to South Carolinians. To learn more about DHEC's past, present, and future, see our history.

Who We Are

DHEC is charged with promoting and protecting the health of the public and the environment in South Carolina. With more than 3,400 employees working in approximately 100 locations across the state, DHEC instills a people-first approach to all that we do. This includes working with our partners, communities, and others to help every South Carolinian have the access, resources, and information they need to improve the environment in which they live, make decisions that enhance their health, and have access to the highest quality healthcare.

This work is implemented by our talented and dedicated team of employees who serve within DHEC’s four core divisions:

• Environmental Affairs protects, promotes, and preserves and the environment so that South Carolinians have clean air, land and water; and enhanced coastal resources.
• Healthcare Quality enhances patient safety and the quality of care by leading efforts to make health care in South Carolina safer, more accessible, affordable, equitable and of higher quality.
• Public Health promotes community health and well-being by protecting people from disease, illness and injury, as well as providing access to quality care.
• Support Services provides our agency’s program areas and teams with the necessary support to ensure the successful accomplishment of our mission and vision.

Vision

Healthy people living in healthy communities

Mission

To improve the quality of life for all South Carolinians by protecting and promoting the health of the public and the environment.

Core Values

• Embracing Service: We embrace our responsibility to reliably serve our communities, customers, and each other in a respectful manner, relying upon clear and uncompromised commitments to integrity, trust, dependability, and responsiveness.
• Inspiring Innovation: We encourage and empower our teams to find creative, science- and data-driven solutions to promote and protect the health of the public and the environment.
• Promoting Teamwork: We cultivate inclusive and collaborative teams that value the diverse thoughts, experiences, and expertise of every team member, our stakeholders, and our communities.
• Pursuing Excellence: We are steadfast in our commitment to the highest achievable standards of quality and professionalism.
• Advancing Equity: We are committed to giving all South Carolinians the opportunity to attain optimal environmental and health outcomes by fostering a culture of fairness, equity, and inclusion for everyone.

What We Do

View DHEC's Bridge Strategic Plan

If you've received a birth certificate in South Carolina, visited a state health department, recycled your cans and bottles here, eaten at a restaurant, breathed in the air, or swam in the state's waters - DHEC has touched your life.

Just a few of the DHEC's services include providing vital health care services, coordinating disease control, monitoring and regulating pollution, ensuring food safety, supporting healthy nutrition, responding to natural disasters, providing research and statistics on the state's health and environment, and much more.