Frequently Asked Questions

As an agency, we are accredited through a national organization, The Council on Accreditation, COA, for maintaining best practice standards. Our Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility (PRTF) is licensed through The SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC). Our group living service program is licensed through The Department of Social Services (SCDSS).

The state Fire Marshall provides oversight for both programs. Our state’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provides oversight to all of the programs that provide reimbursement through Medicaid. Each program we operate was awarded to us through a state contract that clearly defines our obligations through standards that have been set by the state or by the terms of any grant that has been received. Agency policies and procedures are reviewed and approved by our Board of Directors.

Children are placed in residential programs only after all community based interventions have been exhausted. Children in our residential programs may have been removed from their homes due to physical, psychological, or sexual abuse; exposure to domestic violence; substance abuse or criminal activity in their family; or other unstable home situations. At times, parents who have exhausted all community options that are available to their child and family also place their child in our psychiatric treatment program. We operate 365 days a year, and while the boys are in placement, they reside with us 7 days a week. We never close our doors.

After a child is admitted to Windwood Farm, our multidisciplinary treatment team works together to determine the course of care and treatment and a child’s length of stay. Typically, the boys spend 6-12 months in our programs, but some are placed here for as little as 60-90 days.

In our Enhanced Residential Group Home, we accept referrals from many different state agencies such as The Department of Social Services (DSS), The Department of Mental Health, The Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), and school districts. To receive services in the Group Home, your child must have a sponsoring agency that makes the referral to us. On July 1, 2014 Parents and other primary caregivers were given permission by SCDHHS to make referrals on their child’s behalf, but it is their responsibility to make arrangements to have a CAL-LOCUS and diagnostic assessment completed on their child. They must also work with a physician who will sign a certificate of need (CON) that states their child is appropriate for the psychiatric level of care.

Your private donation is made as a tax-deductible gift to us. It can be made in the form of cash, an estate gift, stock, or real estate to name a few of our giving opportunities. Contributions support general operating funds, unless you designate its use. Money can also be donated as an honorarium or memorial for a loved one. We always honor the request of our donors and will keep you informed of how the money has been spent. Contact Luanne Rodgers, Director of Philanthropy, at 843-991-0676 or Debbie McKelvey, Executive Director, at 843-991-0681 for further details.

Many different individuals and either civic or faith-based related organizations volunteer their time and talent to Windwood Farm. We have a number of workdays scheduled throughout the year where volunteers tackle landscaping and maintenance projects on our 110-acre property. Volunteers are also a vital part of our fundraising campaigns as either committee members, ambassadors of public relations throughout our community, or by manning booths, selling tickets, and helping us to organize different events throughout the year.

We appreciate the opportunity to meet new friends, and we rely on this source of manpower to accomplish much of our property maintenance. Without volunteers we could not adequately maintain our facilities nor offer as many social opportunities to our boys. Each year, we attribute saving several tens of thousands of dollars in purchasing services, goods, and labor because of our loyal volunteers.

Volunteer with us!

All medication related to the management of behaviors are prescribed by our attending psychiatrist/Medical Director James E. McKinney, M.D. In cases of physical illness, our staff nurse consults with a local pediatrician who prescribes medications as needed. Our nurses also act as a primary nurse manager for children who live with us who have chronic medical issues. They arrange for ongoing medical care that demands specialized attention, medical check-ups, and dental exams. They also make sure all the children’s immunizations are up to date.