Center for Community Action

The Medical Legal Partnership (MLP) connects Furman University, Prisma Health Upstate, and South Carolina Legal Services to improve health outcomes, particularly for those living in poverty across the Upstate. Since its launch in 2016, the MLP has integrated systems, fostered collaboration, and expanded its services to create its current model. As the first of its kind in South Carolina, the MLP addresses health issues rooted in social or legal challenges by streamlining access to non-medical assistance. The MLP aims to enhance healthcare access and affordability while promoting health equity and justice for all clients.

FAVOR HEALS (FAVOR Health, Education, and Linkages to Support) is a community-driven program funded by a SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services) grant, designed to address the challenges of substance use disorder (SUD) and limited access to peer support in Greenville, Oconee, and Spartanburg counties, SC. It offers essential peer and family support to individuals 18 and older, focusing on underserved and rural communities. In collaboration with harm reduction organizations, FAVOR HEALS provides resources like Naloxone distribution, disease testing, and sterile injection supplies. Furman University’s Institute for the Advancement of Community Health (IACH) evaluates the program by analyzing participant data to measure its impact on healthcare access and service delivery, helping to guide ongoing improvements.

The Produce Prescription Program (PPR) is a collaborative effort between Prisma Health Children’s Hospital, LiveWell Greenville, Mill Village Farms, and Furman University’s Institute for the Advancement of Community Health (IACH). Its goal is to enhance food security and improve dietary health for low-income, Medicaid-eligible pediatric patients and their families. Funded by the USDA Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program (GusNIP), the program provides families with fresh fruits and vegetables through FoodShare boxes for nine months. IACH evaluates the program’s effectiveness by collecting and analyzing data from surveys, interviews, and patient health records to track changes in food security, fruit and vegetable intake, and overall health outcomes.

First Steps Greenville funded a research project aimed at understanding the factors contributing to the high turnover rate among early childcare providers. We gathered data on wages, employment benefits, and other relevant factors affecting early childcare providers and directors in Greenville County and York County, S.C. Additionally, we explored the reasons childcare providers believe the profession is declining and gathered their perspectives on the resources needed to boost enrollment in childcare centers.