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DDSN Honors Beaufort County with Golden Palmetto Award
Bluffton, South Carolina – The South Carolina (SC) Department of Disabilities and Special 
Needs (DDSN) awarded Beaufort County the 2021 Golden Palmetto Award. The Golden Palmetto 
Award is DDSN’s way of honoring SC county governments for providing outstanding support to 
individuals with disabilities.
DDSN Commissioners Barry Malphrus and Eddie Miller made the presentation to the county 
council at the Beaufort County Council meeting at Buckwalter Recreation Center in Bluffton. 
Beaufort County has made their Disabilities and Special Needs (DSN) board a county 
department. This organization assures supported persons and their families of excellent services
and needed resources in well-maintained facilities. A county council member serves on the
agency’s Advisory Board to provide support and direction.
Ten years ago, Beaufort County made a commitment to design and construct a state-of-the-art 
facility to house their day program and other program offices. The county has also constructed 
11 residential homes for persons supported. The county government commissioned a study by 
the University of South Carolina to assess the needs of families with individuals with disabilities. 
The results of the survey were used to inform lawmakers of the needs of Beaufort’s disability 
community and how to better serve them.
The county has also hired 1/3 of persons supported by their agency. With the cost-of-living pay 
raise, persons supported by the agency start jobs above the minimum wage. 
More recently, the county approved two accessible playgrounds for families and caregivers, and 
distributed Beaufort’s policies and service information translated into Spanish to churches, 
businesses, and families.
Beaufort County DSN Director Bill Love said, “Beaufort County Government has generously 
supported our department’s finances and programs and is dedicated to the employment of people 
with disabilities and special needs in Beaufort County. They definitely deserve the Golden 
Palmetto Award.”
DDSN has given the Golden Palmetto award for the past 47 years with the exception of years 2019 
and 2020 due to the pandemic. This year, Beaufort County has become a four-time winner, with 
previous awards received in 1983, 1990 and 2011.
“Beaufort County employs a significant number of people with disabilities at its agency. 
Employment is one of the things I am most passionate about because it promotes independence 
for people who are disabled and is something that is very dear to me as I am a person with cerebral 
palsy who is self-employed and owner of my own business in our community. Thank you, Beaufort 
County for all you do for those with disabilities.” DDSN Commission Vice Chairman Barry 
Malphrus stated. 
DDSN State Director Michelle Fry said, “Beaufort County Government is clearly committed to 
the individuals we serve and deserves recognition for their exemplary commitment to people 
with disabilities and special needs. Congratulations to Beaufort County.”
The South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs is the state agency that plans, 
develops, coordinates and funds services for South Carolinians with the severe, lifelong disabilities 
of:
• intellectual disability and related disabilities
• autism spectrum disorder
• traumatic brain injury
• spinal cord injury and similar disability
For more information about DDSN, please visit https://ddsn.sc.gov.
Contact
PJ Perea, Public Information Director, pacifico.perea@ddsn.sc.gov, 803.898.5617";}i:7;a:7:{s:2:"id";s:2:"11";s:4:"slug";s:12:"verification";s:4:"name";s:12:"Verification";s:4:"type";s:12:"verification";s:7:"options";s:0:"";s:9:"parent_id";s:1:"0";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}i:8;a:7:{s:2:"id";s:2:"12";s:4:"slug";s:27:"please-enter-any-two-digits";s:4:"name";s:27:"Please enter any two digits";s:4:"type";s:6:"secret";s:7:"options";s:0:"";s:9:"parent_id";s:2:"11";s:5:"value";s:2:"12";}i:9;a:7:{s:2:"id";s:2:"13";s:4:"slug";s:6:"submit";s:4:"name";s:6:"Submit";s:4:"type";s:6:"submit";s:7:"options";s:0:"";s:9:"parent_id";s:2:"11";s:5:"value";s:0:"";}}