State Contact

For existing adoption assistance agreements:

Hannah Holen
Adoption Program Specialist
Department of Social Services
Division of Child Protection Services
1310 Main Ave S Ste 101 Brookings, SD 57006
605-688-4330 ext 6000232
Hannah.Holen@state.sd.us

Prior to finalizing adoption assistance agreements

Patricia Reiss 
Department of Social Services (DSS)
Kneip Building, 700 Governors Drive
Pierre, SD 57501
605-773-3227
Patricia.Reiss@state.sd.us

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Adoption Resources on the Web

General adoption information:
http://dss.sd.gov/childprotection/adoption/

South Dakota state-specific medical assistance information: 
https://dss.sd.gov/medicaid/Eligibility/

South Dakota’s adoption assistance information: 
https://dss.sd.gov/formsandpubs/docs/ADOPFOSTER
/CPS09_Adoption_Subsidy.pdf

South Dakota Statute §28-1-64
http://sdlegislature.gov/Statutes/Codified_Laws/
DisplayStatute.aspx?Type=Statute&Statute=28-1-64

South Dakota’s Subsidized Adoption Regulations 67:14:14
https://sdlegislature.gov/Rules/Administrative/67:14:14

In South Dakota a child is considered to have special needs if the child has at least one of the following needs or circumstances that may be a barrier to placement or adoption without financial assistance:

  • Eight years of age or older
  • Race or religion
  • Member of a sibling group being placed together for adoption
  • Physical, emotional, neurological, or intellectual disability
  • Need for a prosthesis, extensive, ongoing, or anticipated medical care, or therapy for speech, physical, or psychological disability
  • Adoption by foster parents with whom the child is living is the only appropriate permanency plan

Children must be legally free for adoption to be eligible for adoption assistance.

Age Rate
0-12 $640.77
13-18 $769.11

A child may qualify for a subsidy at a rate higher than the current basic foster care rate if:

  1. The child has a medical condition that is determined to be lifelong and requiring specialized care;
  2. The child has a disability requiring ongoing specialized treatment or mental health treatment and a higher level of supervision in the home;
  3. The child has experienced a prior dissolved adoption; or
  4. The child resides in an institution, and financial incentive is the only means of securing an adoptive family.

Adoption assistance usually ends at age 18, but as long as the child is still in high school and living at home, adoption assistance may continue until age 19.

Families must request residential care in writing. Funding is generally time-limited (initially 3 to 6 months, followed by a case review). Decisions are based upon severity of need. Parents should send requests with documentation of need, duration, and cost to Hannah Holen (contact info above)

Post-adoption services in South Dakota are administered by the Department of Social Services (DSS), Office of Child Protection Services (CPS) through DSS, contracted agencies, and parent groups.

Services may include extensive psychological supports, such as psychiatric evaluation, psychological evaluation, social assessment (child and family), and Marschack Interaction Methods In Home Family Dynamics Assessment. Therapy provided includes individual therapy, family therapy, multi-family therapy, and group therapy for the adopted child. In addition, training therapy materials and school consultation may be covered as are adoptive families’ travel expenses to secure services are covered, including lodging, meals, and mileage.

South Dakota has contracted with the Children’s Home Society to provide evaluations and therapy for adopted children and their families. To apply for post-adoption services, parents should visit http://www.chssd.org/Adoption/PostAdoptionServices.asp, or call the Children’s Home Society in Black Hills at 605-343-2811 or in Sioux Falls at 605-965-3192.

Respite care can range from a few hours of care provided on a one-time basis to overnight or extended care sessions. For all adoptive families, the only eligibility criteria is that a child is adopted.

This service is provided through the South Dakota Department of Human Services. For more information, https://dhs.sd.gov/en/ltss/respite-and-caregiver-services