LRADAC announces Rebecca A. Payne, MD as Medical Director for its Recovering Professionals Program (RPP)

LRADAC, the designated alcohol and drug abuse authority for Lexington and Richland Counties, announces that Rebecca A. Payne, MD has been hired as the new Medical Director for its Recovering Professionals Program (RPP). In her role as Medical Director, Dr. Payne will provide clinical oversight for RPP’s confidential referral and monitoring program designed for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists and podiatrists and other licensed healthcare professionals in South Carolina who are experiencing problems related to alcohol and/or other substance use or misuse, or from a co-occurring addiction and mental illness, to include: depression, anxiety, job-related burnout, and professional sexual misconduct.

“With one out of every 10 healthcare professionals experiencing alcohol or substance misuse over the course of their career, I am proud to be part of the team that helps these men and women regain control of their lives and return to safe practice,” said Dr. Payne. “We remind healthcare professionals that addiction is treatable and our program ensures that impaired professionals receive the help they need at the earliest point possible.”

Prior to joining the Recovering Professionals Program, Dr. Payne was a faculty member at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in the Department of Psychiatry and held clinical, teaching, and research roles. She has experience in leadership positions in the clinical setting and within professional organizations along with co-authoring several peer-reviewed publications.

Dr. Payne received her medical degree from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Columbia in 2005. She completed psychiatry residency training and an addiction psychiatry fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina and a forensic psychiatry fellowship at the University of South Carolina. She is board certified in psychiatry, addiction psychiatry, and forensic psychiatry.

For more information about the Recovering Professionals Program, visit www.scrpp.org.

LRADAC is the designated alcohol and drug abuse authority for Lexington and Richland Counties. The public, not-for-profit agency offers a wide array of prevention, intervention, and treatment programs in locations convenient to residents of both counties. The agency has a budget of approximately $10 million and serves more than 4,500 clients per year. For more information on programs and services visit LRADAC’s website at www.lradac.org.