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Legislator of the year:
Cobb-Hunter cited for rural health care
advocacy By DIONNE
GLEATON, T&D Staff Writer
The South Carolina Rural
Health Association has named Dist. 66 Rep. Gilda
Cobb-Hunter, D-Orangeburg, its state legislator of
the year.
In a written release, the
SCRHA said the veteran legislator was selected
because of her continued commitment to the health
of rural South Carolinians across the
state.
Cobb-Hunter, who is also
executive director of the Citizens Against Sexual
Assault/Family Systems advocacy agency in
Orangeburg, is credited with organizing and
receiving funding for the first rape crisis center
and domestic violence shelter in Orangeburg and
Bamberg counties.
The SCRHA named Cobb-Hunter
as Legislator of the Year on Feb. 27 during its
annual conference held in conjunction with the
S.C. Area Health Education Consortium at the
Embassy Suites Hotel in Columbia.
"I'm very pleased to have
received this award. I care so much about health
care, particularly in the rural communities. I'm
just honored that they would recognize me for my
efforts in this area," Cobb-Hunter
said.
The SCRHA recognized
several of her health care-related accomplishments
including:
-- Acting as a primary
sponsor of the Community Development Corporation
Act.
-- Advocating passage of
the Housing Trust Fund to build and renovate
low-income housing.
-- Serving as chairperson
of statewide hearings which led to the Silver Care
Drug Program for seniors.
-- Securing funding for the
Children's Health Insurance Program.
-- Improving access to
dental care for children and seniors in rural
areas.
-- Leading the fight to
change laws to make domestic violence a
priority.
-- Leading House Democrats
for four years as minority leader.
-- Being a strong supporter
and advocate for the Low Country Healthy Start
Program.
"As a social worker, I am
concerned about rural access to health care,"
Cobb-Hunter said.
Along with serving as the
primary sponsor of the Community Development
Corporation Act, she authored a health disparities
bill which was eventually added to the state
budget during former Gov. Jim Hodges'
term.
"I would really like to
give credit to Virgie Randolph Chambers who's
originally from Holly Hill for that happening. She
served as Jim Hodges' health policy adviser and,
largely with her help, I was able to get that
added to the budget," Cobb-Hunter said.
"The whole health
disparities issue is just looking at how people of
color have certain illnesses disproportionately
compared to other people. For example, diabetes is
really prevalent in African-American communities,
along with hypertension, cardiovascular disease
and asthma. There are about five different things
that DHEC is focusing its attention on as a result
of this bill that we got added to the budget," she
said.
The SCRHA is a non-profit,
grassroots membership-based organization whose
mission is to do work for the preservation and
enhancement of the health of all rural South
Carolinians. Established in 1966, the SCRHA serves
as an advocate for rural health care providers and
communities throughout the state.
T&D Staff Writer Dionne
Gleaton can be reached by e-mail at dgleaton@timesanddemocrat.com
or by phone at 803-533-5534.
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