Treasurer Curtis Loftis Returns more than $17,000 in Unclaimed Property to Department of Mental Health

State Treasurer Curtis Loftis (center) recently presented SC Department of Mental Health State Director John Magill and Dr. Alison Evans, chair of the State Mental Health Commission, with a check for $17,333.79 in unclaimed property due to the agency. The funds will be used to support patient needs and emergencies.

State Treasurer Curtis Loftis returned more than $17,000 in unclaimed property to S.C. Department of Mental Health officials Monday, money that will be used to meet the emergency needs of patients.

Treasurer Loftis presented a check for $17,333.79 to Dr. Alison Evans, chair of the State Mental Health Commission, as part of a special meeting with Department of Mental Health State Director John H. Magill and other senior leaders at the agency’s administration building on Bull Street. The money will be deposited into the Dr. Irwin E. Phillips’ Fund, established for patient needs and emergencies.

“No community in our state is untouched by mental illness. It affects families, schools and workplaces,” Treasurer Loftis said. “The Department of Mental Health is committed to providing quality mental health services to our citizens, and I am pleased to be able to return these funds to the agency for the benefit of their patients.”

The late Dr. Phillips (1904-1983), joined the State Department of Mental Health in 1965. In 1971 he bequeathed a portion of his estate to the S.C. Department of Mental Health Commission, to be used for the “comfort and convenience” of clients. In 1999, the Department of Mental Health established the Dr. Irwin E. Phillips’ Fund to provide an ongoing source of revenue for patient emergencies.

“The Department of Mental Health is thankful for the help of the staff in the State Treasurer’s Office in identifying these unclaimed agency funds. The Department will put them to good use in assisting patients,” Mr. Magill said.

In addition to receiving an overview of the agency and its programs, Treasurer Loftis toured part of the Adult Psychiatric Hospital and the C.M. Tucker Nursing Care Center, including the Stone Pavilion, one of three Department of Mental Health veterans’ nursing homes.

“The S.C. Department of Mental Health has a long tradition of developing meaningful programs and services to help our citizens battling mental illness,” Treasurer Loftis said. “I found today’s visit especially informative and welcome the opportunity to return resources that can be of use to care for patients.”

Currently the State Treasurer’s Office has more than $550 million in unclaimed property across the state. Millions of dollars are transferred to the program annually by companies that cannot locate the owners. Examples of the types of property covered by the program include dormant bank accounts, uncashed checks, unclaimed insurance proceeds and forgotten utility deposits. The State Treasurer’s Office serves as custodian of unclaimed funds and holds them until claimed by the rightful owners.

You can visit the State Treasurer's Office website to see if there is unclaimed property for you or your family.