Our
mission is to prevent, treat, and heal trauma. Our vision is a world that stands up to trauma, where all people are safe, healthy, and resilient.
Residential Treatment: Residential assessment and treatment are provided for up to thirty-six children through Black Hills Children’s Home (BHCH) near Rapid City, SD, and for up to sixty-two children through Sioux Falls Children’s Home (SFCH) in Sioux Falls, SD. Both facilities are fully licensed as psychiatric residential treatment centers by the Department of Social Services and are accredited by the Joint Commission.
Special Education Services: An individualized education program is provided to the children at Black Hills Children’s Home and Sioux Falls Children’s Home and to “day students” that live off campus. The Educational staff to student ratio is 1:6. Each student’s individualized educational plan incorporates academic, behavioral, and therapy objectives. The BHCH and SFCH education programs are approved by the South Dakota Board of Education.
Emergency Shelter: In Sioux Falls, CHS/CHF provides emergency shelter and support to victims of domestic violence and their children at Shelter for Family Safety. Licensed by the Department of Social Services as an emergency group home, Shelter for Family Safety also provides emergency shelter for children who are removed from their parents by law enforcement because of allegations of child abuse and neglect.
Child Advocacy Intervention: Located in Rapid City, Children’s Home Child Advocacy Center provides a safe, child-friendly location for conducting expert forensic interviews of children who are alleged victims of sexual or physical abuse, or those who have witnessed violence. An interagency team approach is used to ensure prompt investigation of the child’s experience – and all services are coordinated for the best interest of the child.
Community-Based Services: CHS/CHF offers a variety of important components along the continuum of care, including the Bright Start nurse home visitation program, therapeutic foster care, Family Engagement Services, Outpatient Therapy, and adoption services. CHS/CHF recruits, trains, and assesses foster families.
Prevention: Children’s Home’s Prevention Initiative focuses on a comprehensive approach to stop the cycle of child maltreatment and interpersonal violence through education, consultation, advocacy, and awareness. CHS/CHF may terminate and/or change, in whole or in part, any information contained in this Personnel Manual, except CHS/CHFs employment at-will policy, with or without notice, at any time during or after active employment. The goals of our statewide efforts are to decrease incidents of abuse, to respond effectively when it does occur, to ease trauma for the victim, and to reduce the chance of future occurrences.
