Limestone Social Work Student Receives Mental Health Award

Limestone College Bachelor of Social Work student Marc Burrows was recently awarded the Southeastern Symposium on Mental Health Curt & Becky Ellison Mental Health Award for his work in assisting individuals with addictions.

The Southeastern Symposium on Mental Health provides an opportunity for stakeholders to collaborate across disciplines and share research findings utilizing evidence-based outcomes in order to improve patient-centered care. The symposium last month addressed the multi-faceted nature of mental health and illness and included regional and national keynote speakers. The organization advances the welfare of communities through improving access to mental health care, knowledge, and education.

Burrows is a student at the Limestone Evening Program site in Greenville. Identifying as a person in long-term recovery from addiction for over seven years, Burrows currently works as a Peer Support Specialist and Addictions Counselor providing medication-assisted treatment.

He currently works in the mental health field, and he is the founder of a harm reduction service in Greenville called “Challenges Inc.” He has combined that service with his addictions treatment program to expand access to evidence-based practices including naloxone distribution, syringe exchange, and medication assisted treatment. The unique approach is the first of its kind in South Carolina.

The Limestone College Social Work Program teaches students about patterns of behavior of individuals, families, organizations, and communities in order to prevent or reduce the problems of our rapidly changing society. Students in the program learn to help others, change damaging social conditions, and boost social and economic well-being. The program focuses on developing an individual’s understanding of differences in ethnicity, culture, race, and gender and on accepting and/or using these differences to create a better society.