Select Health Opens New Community Center
Dec 12, 2017 01:36PM ● By Emily Stevenson
Select Health of South Carolina moved its First Choice Community Center to a new and expanded location at 217 Park Terrace Drive (Suite 100) in Columbia that will provide local residents with access to even more health, wellness and other community resources. Select Health offers First Choice, the state’s oldest and largest Medicaid managed care health plan, and is part of the AmeriHealth Caritas Family of Companies.
Select Health celebrated the grand opening of the new facility with a ribbon cutting ceremony, including local dignitaries and Select Health executives, on Friday, Dec. 8, as well as a public open house on Saturday, Dec. 9.
“We opened our original First Choice Community Center in 2009 to provide a place where local individuals and families with limited incomes could learn about programs, services and resources available to assist them. The new location will allow us to expand that effort,” said Select Health Market President Rebecca Engelman. “The new First Choice Community Center will offer more services and programs that will help residents of the Midlands area improve their health and overall quality of life.”
The new First Choice Community Center includes the following new features, in addition to those offered at the previous location:
- A designated children’s area, where children can safely play while their parent and guardians use the community center’s other services.
- A kitchen suitable for cooking demonstrations during health education programs.
- Additional square footage for meeting and gathering space.
Visitors to the new First Choice Community Center will continue to have access to the Benefit Bank through on-site computers. A service provided by SC Thrive, one of Select Health’s community partners, the Benefit Bank simplifies applications for Medicaid, food assistance and student aid; helps with tax filings; and more. All Select Health associates at the community center are trained Benefit Bank counselors.
The community center will also continue to offer computer access for such activities as writing resumes and searching and applying for jobs, notary services, special community outreach activities, and health education events, including the yearly Jump-Start Back-to-School celebration for school-age children and their families.
The new First Choice Community Center will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The First Choice Community Center can be reached by phone toll free at 1-888-676-9588.