The South Central Joint Mine Health and Safety Conference was established in 1983 as a partnership between the US Department of Labor, Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), State mine safety and health educational institutions and agencies, and the mining industry.

It was the first regional industry/MSHA partnership (“joint”) mine health and safety conference in the US.

The Conference formally encompasses the Midwest and Southwest U.S. However, all members of the mining community across the nation are invited to attend the Conference.

The Conference is a non-profit activity, and donations to help fund it have historically been tax-exempt under IRS Code 501(c)(3).

For nearly 32 years the Conference was sponsored predominantly by the non-profit University of Texas at Austin (UTA), Health and Training Center, which provided numerous planning, budgeting, registration, and management services for the Conference through federal States Grants subsidies.

In 2014, when UTA was unable to continue providing extensive support to the Conference due to federal budget cuts, veteran members of the Conference Committee formed an independent non-profit entity, the SCJMHSC Association, to continue the annual Conference. The SCJMHSC Association is governed by an elected Board of Directors, and is assisted by the Conference Planning Committee. Members of the Planning Committee are volunteers from the entire spectrum of the mining community. Board members receive no remuneration whatever for their services.

The SCJMHSC Association is legally established under the laws of Texas, and has filed an application with the IRS for tax-exempt status, which will enable sponsors to claim their donations as tax-deductible (charitable) gifts.