South Carolina is the 36th state to enact licensure for genetic counselors
Proper licensing will increase practitioner credibility, provide peace of mind and safety for patients, and enhance sustainability for the genetic counseling profession
(September 26, 2024) GREENWOOD, S.C.– Greenwood Genetic Center (GGC), the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC), Prisma Health, and the USC School of Medicine collaborated to pass a bill requiring licensing for genetic counselors in South Carolina to increase practitioner credibility, provide peace of mind and safety for patients, and enhance sustainability for the genetic counseling profession.
President and CEO of GGC Dr. Steve Skinner said, “Genetic counselors are critical members of the genetics health care team and provide an invaluable service to patients and families. GGC, MUSC, Prisma Health, and the USC School of Medicine have proudly worked to support this profession and advocate for the passage of genetic counselor licensure in South Carolina. This is a huge step forward in recognizing the important work that genetic counselors do every day.”
South Carolina is the 36th state to enact licensing for genetic counselors.
Licensure provides protections for patients and caregivers alike by ensuring that genetic counselors practicing in South Carolina are properly trained to offer high-quality care. Additionally, patients of genetic counselors in states with licensure have an easier time receiving insurance coverage for the service.
Prisma Health, a private nonprofit health company and the largest health care organization in South Carolina, offers genetic counselors in both the Upstate and the Midlands. Allison Bellomo, MS, CGC, who is based at the Prisma Health Cancer Institute in Greenville, has led efforts to gain support for this new law. Passionate about serving patients in her field, Bellomo has worked for genetic counselor licensure for over a decade and was involved in each step of the process from the bill’s inception through numerous meetings, committee hearings, and votes until the bill was signed by Gov. Henry McMaster in May.
“This law ensures that South Carolinians who need genetic counseling services are receiving them from a provider who is properly accredited and trained to offer complete and accurate information,” said Bellomo. “This will help provide peace of mind and safety for our patients. The new measure also validates the significance and complexities of our profession. I’m proud to have been part of the team to help make this a reality.”
This law also establishes the South Carolina Board of Genetic Counselors. Four of the five members are licensed genetic counselors including Bellomo and Kim Foil, MS, CGC the director of SC’s new genetic counseling training program at MUSC. The board is responsible for reviewing licensure applications, renewing licenses, and following-through on disciplinary investigations.
Foil, a strong advocate for licensure in the state said, “Genetic counselors are highly skilled and well trained to provide complex information on which patients often make significant medical and family decisions. Licensure will help ensure that patients have access to trusted professionals who can help them navigate these often confusing and challenging circumstances.”
“In addition to offering protections for the citizens of South Carolina who need genetic counseling services, licensure also elevates this important field among the medical community,” said Janice Edwards, MS, CGC, founder and former director of the state’s first genetic counseling training program at USC School of Medicine. “This status will help us to retain and recruit the best and brightest genetic counselors to practice in South Carolina.”
The ceremonial signing of the bill was celebrated on Sept. 25, 2024. Moving forward, genetic counselors will continue to monitor and advocate for legislation which supports patient safety and positive outcomes through robust genetic counseling.
Genetic counseling is the process of helping people understand and adapt to the medical, psychological, and familial implications of genetic contributions to disease. This process involves interpreting family and medical histories to assess the chance of disease occurrence or recurrence, educating families about inheritance, testing, management, prevention, resources, and research, and providing support to promote informed choices.
About Prisma Health
Prisma Health is a private nonprofit health company and the largest health care organization in South Carolina. The company has 29,309 team members, 18 acute and specialty hospitals, 2,827 licensed beds, 305 practice sites, and more than 5,400 employed and independent clinicians across its clinically integrated inVio Health Network. Along with this innovative network, Prisma Health serves almost 1.5 million unique patients annually in its 21-county market area that covers 50% of South Carolina. Connect with Prima Health on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter/X. Visit www.PrismaHealth.org.
About MUSC
Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system, with a unique mission to preserve and optimize human life in South Carolina through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates more than 3,200 students in six colleges – Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy – and trains more than 900 residents and fellows in its health system. As the health care system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality and safest patient care while educating and training generations of outstanding health care providers and leaders to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. To learn more, visit musc.edu.
About USC School of Medicine
The University of South Carolina School of Medicine Columbia is led by its mission to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond through exemplary biomedical education, transformative research and compassionate care for all.’ From its first class of just 24 medical students in 1977, the school has grown to include six thriving programs and a current enrollment of over 750 future health care and research professionals. The School of Medicine Columbia is working to address the health care needs of our state, nation and beyond through educational opportunities in biomedical sciences, counseling and rehabilitation, medicine, genetic counseling, nurse anesthesia and physician assistant programs. Hands-on learning, exceptional clinical partners, innovative curriculum and cutting-edge technology prepare our learners to be skilled and compassionate professionals in communities near and far.