August 22, 2024

Mirci Saves Columbia-Area Hospitals $6.1M While Enhancing Community Wellbeing 

Columbia, SC – August 22, 2024 – The Mental Illness Recovery Center, Inc. (Mirci) proudly announces its annual impact on the community and local healthcare systems. Data from the SC Office for Revenue and Fiscal Affairs (RFA) highlights Mirci's substantial contribution to reducing healthcare costs and improving the health and wellbeing of individuals living with severe mental illness across the Midlands.

In 2023, Mirci's comprehensive services led to significant reductions in hospital use, demonstrating the effectiveness of its behavioral healthcare programs:

• 74% Reduction in inpatient hospitalizations related to mental illness and substance use (MI/SU).
• 70% Reduction in emergency department visits due to MI/SU.
• 82% Reduction in visits due to schizophrenic disorder, the leading cause of emergency department use for mental illness.
• 72% Reduction in psychiatric specialty inpatient hospitalizations.
• 49% Drop in the average length of all inpatient hospital stays, from 13 days to 6.6 days.

These reductions resulted in a substantial $6.1 million in avoided costs for local hospital systems, underscoring Mirci's role in alleviating the financial burden on healthcare providers.

Mirci is dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals facing mental illness through various programs:

• Section 811 Affordable Housing: Provides supportive housing for very low- or no-income individuals with disabling mental illnesses across four apartment complexes in Richland and Lexington counties.
• CoC Permanent Supportive Housing: Offers long-term housing and support services to adults, families, and unaccompanied youth experiencing homelessness with severe and persistent mental illnesses.
• Homeless Outreach: Assists individuals experiencing homelessness with essential resources, including housing assistance, healthcare, and basic necessities.
• Benefits Assistance: Helps clients secure over $400,000 in annual supplemental income through SSI/SSDI and SNAP in 2023.
• Accredited Behavioral Healthcare: Delivers evidence-based mental health care to adults with severe and persistent mental illness, ensuring accessibility for under- or uninsured clients.
• Transitional Housing for Youth: Supports male-identifying youth aged 17 to 22 and is expanding to include female-identifying youth. Between 2018 and 2023, 79% of participants exited to safe, stable destinations, and 90% made progress on personal plans of care.

Mirci’s vision remains steadfast: to be the place where individuals can find a way forward when life presents challenges. With continued dedication, Mirci is committed to advancing community wellbeing and reducing the negative outcomes of mental illness throughout the greater Columbia area.

For more information about Mirci and its programs, please visit www.mirci.org or contact mail@mirci.org.