ABOUT
CHS
About Children's Home Society of South Dakota
The mission of Children’s Home Society of South Dakota is to prevent, treat and heal trauma. From our founding in 1896 as the state’s first nonprofit social service agency, we have cared for thousands of children and families. Our goal is a world that stands up to trauma where all people are safe, healthy and resilient.
Heal Trauma.
Help Children and Families.
Work for Good.
Philosophy of Care
Our programs and therapeutic models are united in our approach to care, which is based on neuroscience and informed by the Hope Rising movement. Within this structure, we use multiple, evidence-based treatment and care models to care for vulnerable children, adults and families.
Residential Treatment and Schools
At Black Hills Children’s Home and Sioux Falls Children’s Home, we provide psychiatric residential treatment for children ages 4-14. Many of the children are survivors of abuse or neglect; others come from loving homes and are challenged with behavioral and emotional needs. Each residential campus includes a school certified by the SD Department of Education. Loving School in Sioux Falls also accepts day students. We also provide outpatient therapy.
Emergency Shelter and Crisis Response
Children’s Home Shelter for Family Safety in Sioux Falls is the region’s largest domestic violence shelter. Services include safe shelter, crisis hotline, counseling, advocacy and support, along with meals and transportation, community referrals and more. We also provide temporary emergency shelter for children who have been abused or neglected.
ith behavioral and emotional needs. Each residential campus includes a school certified by the SD Department of Education. Loving School in Sioux Falls also accepts day students. We also provide outpatient therapy.
Community Based Services
Children’s Home Society offers Therapeutic Foster Care, Adoption Services through Wendy’s Wonderful Kids in both Sioux Falls and Rapid City, and a pilot program, Families First, only in Rapid City, along with outpatient therapy.
Forensic Interviewing
Located in Rapid City, Children’s Home Child Advocacy Center offers forensic interviews for children who have experienced trauma. The Child Advocacy Center concept, which is used nationwide, was created to prevent repeated questioning of traumatized children and obtain legally admissible evidence. We also provide support and resources for these children and their families, including outpatient therapy.
Prevention, Training and Education
Our child abuse prevention program includes heading up South Dakota’s Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) training about the impact of trauma and South Dakota’s Enough Abuse program, which educates individual, groups and communities on how to prevent child sexual abuse.
Nurse Family Partnership
Children’s Home Society operates the Bright Start nurse family partnership in 13 South Dakota Counties. Bright Start is a program of the state Department of Health that pairs nurses with first-time mothers for up to two years to help families with the resources and knowledge to be healthy and happy.
