Jennifer Butler MSW, LISW-CP/S
Jennifer earned a master’s degree in social work from the University of South Carolina in 1998. She joined SCDMH in 1998 and served as Columbia Area Mental Health Center’s Chief Operational Manager for almost 20 years. In September 2019, Jennifer became the Program Director for SCDMH’s Office of Suicide Prevention. In February 2021, she was appointed Program Director of SCDMH’s Office of Emergency Services. She is intensively trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, an evidence-based psychotherapy that is especially useful in treating mood disorders and suicidal ideation and has spent most of her career as a skilled clinician to those at risk. In addition, she is trained in more than a dozen suicide prevention, postvention, and related techniques and is certified to train others in these areas. On September 22, 2021, Governor Henry McMaster presented the Order of the Silver Crescent to SCDMH’s Jennifer Butler, MSW, LISW/CP-S, at the South Carolina Suicide Prevention Coalition’s quarterly meeting. The Order of the Silver Crescent, South Carolina’s most prestigious service award, recognizes those who have made significant contributions to the life and well-being of the state and nation. Established by Governor David Beasley in 1997, the Honor was specifically established to recognize a remarkable single achievement or action or an individual’s community service and volunteerism on the local level.