(Columbia/Cayce, SC) The Joseph H. Neal Health Collaborative (JHN) announces the appointment of Marco Benjamin as its Executive Director. Benjamin will boost its continued growth as a statewide force supporting intimate health and accessible, community-centered care.
South Carolina is now listed as 8th in the nation for the number of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). 1 in every 111 South Carolinians has an STI.
Richland Co. has the highest STI rate in the state, 1 in every 66 residents, and is now tracked nationally as having one of the highest rates in the nation. The Charleston and Greenville areas also have unusually high rates.
This past Thurs., Aug. 20th was Southern HIV Awareness Day.
Benjamin says young adults under 30 account for 37% of infections and African Americans account for half of those infections, and a little-known fact is that the percentage of STI’s among retirees who reside in all of the state’s residential facilities is at an all-time high. “That’s a crisis. Intimate health is about treating the whole person with dignity, compassion and respect,” said Benjamin. “Our responsibility is to meet people where they are, remove barriers to care and build a system in which every South Carolinian—regardless of income, insurance status or ZIP code—has an opportunity to live a healthier life.”
Benjamin brings extensive experience in HIV advocacy, public health, pharmacy partnerships, community engagement and nonprofit leadership. His appointment represents an important next chapter for JHN as the organization expands its clinical services, mobile outreach, telehealth capabilities and partnerships throughout South Carolina.
JHN’s Innovative Model for Intimate Health includes:
- Free and confidential HIV, hepatitis C and sexually transmitted infection screenings
- HIV prevention services, including PrEP and Doxy-PEP
- Linkage to HIV and hepatitis C treatment
- Diabetes and other preventive health screenings
- Telehealth and mobile-clinic access for rural communities
- Food, transportation, insurance-enrollment and social-support navigation
- Community health workers who build relationships and close the referral loop
- Partnerships with pharmacies, free clinics, faith communities and local organizations
Benjamin has been a leading voice in the HIV movement nationwide since his diagnosis in 2007. His career has included national leadership roles in HIV, sexual health and specialty pharmacy, as well as frontline advocacy across the country. In 2013, he helped lead a national prevention tour that traveled to 214 cities across 38 states and distributed approximately 15 million condoms. He was also recognized as a POZ Top 100 Unsung Heroes in 2013 and as a POZ.com Hero this past June.
South Carolina continues to face significant challenges related to HIV, sexually transmitted infections, chronic disease and access to care—particularly in rural communities. More than 20,000 South Carolinians are living with HIV, and thousands remain out of care. JHN’s expanding statewide model is designed to find people who have been overlooked. During the past year, JHN has conducted more than 1500 HIV and hepatitis C screenings and more than 5000 STI tests.
The Joseph H. Neal Health Collaborative is a nonprofit healthcare organization dedicated to improving health outcomes. Neal, a leading member of the SC House of Representatives, died suddenly due to natural causes on Valentines Day 2017, leaving a legacy of service.
“Rep. Neal showed us what it means to lead with courage and grace,” said Benjamin. “His legacy lives on in all the communities we serve and in the belief that a healthier, more just and equitable South Carolina is possible.”
