SouthLight Healthcare, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, provides access to high-quality mental health and substance use treatment, fostering a resilient community by supporting individuals in their recovery. SouthLight has offered a safe and supportive treatment environment for more than 50 years where individuals in crisis can receive comprehensive care, offered with compassion and respect and where they receive treatment of the whole individual, not just the illness. The organization provides a range of services to meet clients wherever they are in their recovery journey and are mostly outpatient and community-based services.   

The CCME Foundation provided a $50,000 grant to hire a Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) Coordinator to enhance the services provided in the newly renovated space which will now serve as the Drop-In Center for SouthLight in Southeast Raleigh. In conjunction with the new SDOH Program Manager, the SDOH Coordinator is expected to meet the needs of approximately 1,000 clients annually who are diagnosed with substance use and/or mental health disorders by conducting SDOH screenings, assisting clients in accessing community support services and resources through establishing community partnerships and referring them to additional services. Examples of these community partnerships and referrals include Wheels4Hope for access to vehicles, Medicaid enrollment for access to health care, Food Stamps enrollment for access to health food, Oak City Cares for housing deposit assistance, and gaining access to phones, employment, bus passes, and harm reduction services. These connections and resources provide much-needed foundational support and relief for clients who are seeking help to get back on their feet. 

When the SDOH Coordinator begins establishing and implementing this new SDOH program infrastructure and grows it into a thriving resource serving the Drop-In Center’s clients in accessing resources within the community, the program also expects to expand by hosting additional peer-led support groups and increasing the availability of on-site resources within its newly renovated space.  

Learn more about the work of SouthLight Healthcare.