Midlands Program Expanding to Support Individuals with Special Needs and Disabilities

Revolutionizing Support for Disabilities in Midlands

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The CHS Group, a Midlands-based organization that provides crucial support to individuals with disabilities and special needs, marked a huge milestone on Thursday with the grand opening of their new office space.

The updated facilities will enable the group to significantly expand their range of services from providing housing assistance to helping with finding suitable employment. These critical services aim to enrich the lives of individuals with disabilities and special needs and empower them to lead fulfilling and productive lives in the Midlands community.

Going the Extra Mile

Josuha Charles, a longtime participant of the CHS group, is one of the many individuals positively impacted by the program. A lover of video games and animals, Joshua was diagnosed with autism at a very young age. Joshua’s mother, Charlene Ryan, recalls how the CHS Group helped her navigate the difficulties of raising a son with special needs.

“It was hard. I was a single mother with Joshua. Up day and night, day and night. Hardly no sleep, always having to get someone to help Joshua to find out what he needed. What kind of medications he needed on a level environment,” recalled Ryan. It was their introduction to the CHS Group that changed everything for Joshua and his mother.

The CHS Mission

Joseph Bates, who founded the group in Michigan in 2007, brought the program to South Carolina in 2020. The CHS Group contracts with the state’s department of disabilities and special needs and derives its funding from the department of health services. This partnership with the state enables their clients to receive these essential services through Medicaid waivers.

Proving that the CHS Group is more than just a support service, Laconda Moore, CHS State Director, believes in their mission wholeheartedly. “I’ve worked for about 35 years in this field and I would say that CHS has some for the most caring professional people that you can ever want to meet and we’re all here because we know the importance of serving others,” said Moore.

Expanding Services and Impact

Beyond housing and employment assistance, the program provides community training homes where those with disabilities can live in group environments. They also offer assisted living programs with eight different locations across Columbia and Greenville. Currently serving 13 individuals, the CHS Group hopes to increase its clientele to at least 50 by the end of this year.

With an aim to expand in other areas across the palmetto state including Rock Hill, Florence, and Conway, the CHS Group is all set to touch more lives and make a significant impact.

Changing Lives for the Better

Ryan reflects on her son’s journey and the transformative role the CHS Group played in his life. “Josh is a very good son, a very caring son and he’s a very hard worker and now that they got him on the right track, he’s doing 100 percent better,” said Ryan, whose gratitude echoes the sentiments of many parents and caregivers.

For more information about the CHS Group and the services they provide, visit their website.