MUSC Health Jean and Hugh K. Leatherman Behavioral Care Pavilion

MUSC Health cuts ribbon, celebrates completion of new behavioral care facility in Florence

FLORENCE, SC (Aug. 11, 2025) – MUSC Health and its collaborative partners officially cut the ribbon on the MUSC Health Jean and Hugh K. Leatherman Behavioral Care Pavilion, marking a major milestone in expanding access to behavioral health care across the Pee Dee region.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony drew an enthusiastic crowd of state and local leaders—including Gov. Henry McMaster, City of Florence officials, legislators and community partners—who celebrated this milestone and toured the state-of-the-art facility that promises to shape the future of behavioral health care in the region.

“We are proud to celebrate the completion and opening of the MUSC Health Jean and Hugh K. Leatherman Behavioral Care Pavilion – a milestone made possible through unprecedented collaboration and shared vision. This innovative facility represents a vital step forward in addressing the mental health needs of our region, providing accessible, compassionate care when and where it’s needed most,” said Jay Hinesley, CEO of the MUSC Health-Pee Dee Division.

Serving as a regional behavioral care hub, the new facility is designed to meet the growing mental health needs of the community through an integrated network of services.

Key services include:

• Rapid Access Center – a walk-in triage and assessment center offering immediate support and seamless transitions into care.
• Telepsychiatry services – strengthening access to psychiatric care across the region through virtual consultation.
• Crisis stabilization beds – sixteen adult and four adolescent beds to provide short-term stabilization and treatment.
• Outpatient clinics – dedicated behavioral health clinics for both adult and pediatric patients.
• Inpatient psychiatric unit – a 63-bed acute care unit, including the transfer of 23 beds from McLeod Behavioral Health Center in Darlington.

The state’s investment in the project is a product of years of work to foster collaboration and secure funding by South Carolina Sen. Hugh K. Leatherman. The new facility, construction for which began in 2024, is named in honor of Sen. Leatherman.

“This facility represents a bold step forward in our shared commitment to transforming behavioral health care, starting with improving access, continuity of care and outcomes for families across the Pee Dee region and the state of South Carolina,” said David J. Cole, M.D., FACS, president of MUSC.

This historic facility is the result of a unique collaboration between MUSC Health, the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS), the South Carolina Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities Office of Mental Health, McLeod Health, Francis Marion University and HopeHealth. The project represents a combined investment of up to $100 million appropriated to SCDHHS by the South Carolina General Assembly and an unprecedented $5 million commitment from the City of Florence, which is believed to be the first direct investment of municipal funds in a behavioral health facility by a South Carolina municipality.