“The impact of the Dakota Counseling Institute in providing a place to go and feel safe when facing challenges with their mental health something to take pride in,” says Ginger Niemann, SDCF Senior Program Officer, “SDCF is honored to support Dakota Counseling Institute in helping give individuals hope at a time when they may feel there is none.”
The South Dakota Community Foundation (SDCF) recently awarded a $20,000 South Dakota Fund grant to Dakota Counseling Institute, Inc. Funding will aid in the opening of an Appropriate Regional Facility (ARF) to aid in their crisis services.
“This grant will be a crucial part of our effort to establish appropriate crisis services for people experiencing a mental health crisis,” says Roswitha Konz, Clinical Director, Dakota Counseling Institute, Inc. “Rather than housing them at the local jail, we will be able to provide an environment conducive to finding solutions to whatever problems drive an individual’s crisis.”
Dakota Counseling Institute, Inc. (Institute) provides both mental health and assistance for substance abuse problems in the Eastern/Central South Dakota region. The ARF will help the Institute meet its goal of providing a wide array of services to individuals and families with mental illness, behavioral disabilities, and substance abuse issues. The ARF will be open to walk-ins and be a safe place to determine next steps by providing assessments, treatment, and safety and discharge planning 24 hours a day, 365 day a year. The goal of the ARF will be to keep those experiencing a mental health crisis out of jail, and ultimately to have people reach out to the Institute before things become unmanageable for them. The ARF will have four-bed capacity, a therapy room, classroom, kitchen/cafeteria, and calming room for those needing assistance.
“Dakota Counseling Institute is providing a safe place to go to feel safe when facing challenges with mental health,” says Ginger Niemann, SDCF Senior Program Officer, “SDCF is honored to support The Dakota Counseling Institute is helping give individuals hope at a time when they may feel there is none.”
SDCF is a public non-profit organization established in 1987. SDCF, with offices in Pierre, Rapid City, Sioux Falls and Aberdeen administers 1,200 funds benefiting hundreds of charitable organizations annually. The Foundation distributed nearly $31 million in grants in 2023 which made a tremendous difference in communities statewide. This would not have been possible without the generosity of our donors. If you have a specific cause you would like to support or would prefer to give for the general good of our state, please visit https://sdcommunityfoundation.org/giving to learn more or call 1-800-888-1842.