Columbia, SC – Today at its monthly meeting, the South Carolina Mental Health Commission offered to John H. Magill the position of state director, Department of Mental Health. He is expected to begin September 1, after approvals by the Agency Head Salary Commission and the South Carolina Budget & Control Board, which meet August 1 and August 8, respectively.
Said Dr. Alison Evans, Mental Health Commission chair, “The Department of Mental Health and the thousands of clients we are privileged to serve are fortunate to have an executive with Mr. Magill’s breadth of experience. Throughout his career, he has demonstrated strong administrative skills as well as compassion for people with mental illness and people with chemical dependency. We believe that he is the right person for the Department of Mental Health and look forward to working with him.”
Mr. Magill is currently clinical associate professor of psychiatry and deputy chair of operations for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, S.C. He received his undergraduate degree from Richmond Professional Institute and master’s degree from Virginia Commonwealth University. He began his career as a regional coordinator and project administrator with the SCDMH. Then, Mr. Magill served as the assistant director of the Georgia Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation and served as the state director of Alcohol and Drug Abuse for the state of Georgia. He was the founding director and chief executive officer of Fenwick Hall Hospital, Charleston, SC, during its entire time of operation. Mr. Magill has received numerous awards for his contributions to the healthcare field including the Banner of Achievement Award from National Medical Enterprises in 1992, the Distinguished Service Award by the South Carolina Mental Health Association in 1996, the 2005 Merit Award from the South Carolina Hospital Association, and the 2006 Garvin Award from the South Carolina Mental Health Association.
The South Carolina Department of Mental Health provides services through a network of seventeen mental health centers, Harris Psychiatric Hospital in Anderson, SC, the Columbia Behavioral Healthcare System in Columbia, SC, and three nursing centers, including two for veterans.
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