Robert M. Kerr announces retirement from public service effective November 2024

Robert Kerr (South Carolina Governor’s Office)

(WCIV) — Director of the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Robert M. Kerr plans to retire after three years of service in the role, Gov. Henry McMaster announced Monday.

Kerr, first appointed by McMaster in April 2021, will retire on Nov. 1, 2024. The announcement of his decision to step away from the role garnered effusive praise from McMaster, who described him as a “dedicated public servant.”

“He has transformed and modernized our state’s Medicaid program and has led efforts to improve service efficiency and health outcomes at agencies across state government,” McMaster said. “South Carolina is a better place today because of the contributions and accomplishments of Director Kerr. He will be missed.”

Kerr’s appointment to director by McMaster was unanimously confirmed by the Republican-controlled South Carolina Senate on April 20, 2021.

In his resignation letter to McMaster, dated Sept. 16, Kerr highlighted several major achievements during his tenure.

“Under your leadership and guidance, staff have made transformative changes for the state. In behavioral health, they have doubled the number of school-based counselors, invested over $45 million in establishing innovative EmPath crisis stabilization units within hospitals, and made historic collaborative investments of over $100 million establishing regional inpatient behavioral health hubs,” Kerr wrote.

“They have stabilized the Medicaid budget while substantially improving provider rates and expanding service arrays. Finally, staff have developed and are executing a comprehensive modernization plan to improve the agency’s enterprise and enrollment systems.”