The Southern Consortium for Children (SCC) was formed in 1988 in response to the closure of a children's state-operated psychiatric hospital. A portion of the hospital's operating budget was disbursed among the utilizing counties and earmarked for community-based programming.

Four southeastern Ohio Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Boards (ADAMHS) came together as a regional council of governments in order to build an infrastructure of services and support for children and their families. The SCC became the program planning, coordinating, fundraising, and development arm for children and youth for the ten counties.