Youth Care
The South Dakota Department of Social Services, Office of Licensing and Accreditation licenses facilities and agencies for Child Placement Agencies, Group Care Centers for Minors, Shelter Care/Emergency Shelters, Residential Treatment Centers, Intensive Residential Treatment Centers and Independent Living Preparation Programs and regularly monitors compliance with Administrative Rules of South Dakota.
If you want to learn more about Youth Care visit the Department of Social Services Website.
General Requirements for all Youth Care providers: 67:42:01
Licensing Information: Licensing Information (sd.gov)
Youth Care Programs
The following are the types of licensed youth care programs. Click on each one to learn more.
Licensed Child Placement Agencies license their own foster homes and provide Therapeutic Foster Care services. Therapeutic Foster Care is out-of-home care by foster parents with specialized training to care for a wide variety of children and adolescents, usually with significant emotional, behavioral, or social issues or medical needs.
Group care centers for minors provide group care, maintenance, supervision, and protection of children on a regular full-time basis as a substitute for regular parental care, in a non-family group setting. Children who are experiencing family problems and interpersonal conflicts, who are unable to remain in a family setting and require ongoing group and individual counseling or alternative services in a structured treatment program may be placed in a group care center for minors. Group care placements are warranted when a youth is displaying mild to moderate social behavioral, educational, and emotional problems. Examples of challenging behaviors are aggressive behaviors, assaulting others, harming themselves, and running away.
ARSD: 67:42:07
Shelter care facilities are group care centers providing short-term care for children often placed under emergency conditions. Care is provided for not more than 30 days. An extension of no more than 30 days may be granted because a placement plan has been made but cannot be implemented within the 30-day time frame.
Residential Treatment Programs provide care to children who have behavioral or emotional problems and require intensive professional assistance and therapy in a highly structured, self-contained environment. All Residential Treatment Programs are accredited by a national accreditation agency (The Joint Commission, Council on Accreditation, or Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities).
ARSD: 67:42:08
Intensive Residential Treatment Programs provide the most structure, therapy and care for children in a group or residential setting. A youth is eligible for placement in an IRT center if there is written documentation that the child did not respond to treatment in a residential treatment center, was denied placement in a residential treatment center, or left a residential treatment center before completing treatment. The child must also have a documented, chronic history of high level physical or sexual aggression. All Intensive Residential Treatment Programs are accredited by a national accreditation agency (The Joint Commission, Council on Accreditation, or Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities).
ARSD: 67:42:15
Independent Living Preparation Programs provide services to youth 16 to 21 years of age. Youth placed in this level of care receive services to teach self-sufficiency and responsible independent living. These agencies can be operated by child placement agencies, group care centers, or residential treatment centers.
ARSD: 67:42:13