The South Dakota Department of Social Services is working to expand the number of regional behavioral health facilities across the state.
The FY2022-23 state budget includes $15 million in federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act to support additional infrastructure development for Appropriate Regional Facilities (ARF). It was approved by the legislature and is included in the overall DSS budget. In each of the next four years, an estimated $3.75 million will be spent for construction and expansion of facilities with the goal of having at least one ARF in all five Behavioral Health regions.
Social Services Secretary Laurie Gill says adding short-term crisis stabilization services in each region of the state is a very positive step for South Dakota. She says DSS is working with its partners– including city, county and state entities– to support crisis service delivery.
Through previous appropriations, three projects are currently underway with a total investment of $8.33 million.
- The contract in Pennington County (region 1) is $4.6 million to support construction.
- The Lewis & Clark Behavioral Health Services in Yankton County (region 4) allotment is $232,938 for six months of service delivery.
- The Human Service Agency in Watertown (region 3) is getting $3.5 million with an additional $1 million being added to support construction and service delivery.
Gill says without regional crisis stabilization, individuals in mental health crisis are often placed in jail or involuntarily committed to inpatient psychiatric hospitals when they could be served in a less restrictive setting closer to their home and community.
For more information about ARFs visit
https://dss.sd.gov/behavioralhealth/services.aspx#behavioralhealthcrisiscare.
Infographic credit South Dakota Department of Social Services.
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