CHILDREN'S HOME FOUNDATION
 

Supporting the programs & services of Children's Home Society
of South Dakota, including Children's Inn.


FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHY DO CHILDREN COME TO CHILDREN'S HOME SOCIETY?
Children need help for a variety reasons. Children in residential treatment have significant emotional or behavioral problems. Some children are dealing with emotional, mental health, or developmental challenges, which are not the fault of the parents, and need more intensive intervention than a parent can provide. However, the majority of the children are exhibiting problems that are a result of physical abuse, sexual abuse, or neglect.

Children attending the CHS day school program are typically having emotional, behavioral, and learning problems that cannot be addressed within a regular classroom setting. These children are able to remain in the home with birth parents, foster parents, or adoptive parents.

Children placed in emergency shelter have been removed from their homes due to physical abuse, sexual abuse or neglect.

Children in the foster care, adoption, and kinship (relative care) programs need an opportunity to be in a new family as they are unable to return to birth parents due to abuse or neglect.

Children served at the Child Advocacy Center of the black Hills or at Child’s Voice are alleged victims of abuse, typically sexual abuse.

WHO REFERS CHILDREN TO CHS?
The majority of children are referred by the South Dakota Department of Social Services (Office of Child Protection). Other referrals come from school districts, psychiatric hospitals, parents, tribal & BIA Social Services, Department of Corrections, and Social Services Offices from surrounding states (primarily Minnesota).

WHERE DO THE KIDS COME FROM?
Geographically, children come from virtually every county in South Dakota. CHS also receives referrals from many of the states that surround South Dakota. On the map below, each dot represents a child that was served by a CHS program in 2011. 
 

 
HOW LONG DO THEY STAY?
An average length of stay for children in residential treatment is 12-13 months.

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A CHILD TURNS 14?
This is often a question when someone reads that we serve children primarily ages 4-13. Through our admissions process, we would review the child’s age and presenting issues to determine whether the child could complete our treatment program by the age of 14. If not, we would most likely refer them to an agency for older children.

AFTER THEY LEAVE CHS, WHERE DO THEY GO?
In 2012,  the children served in residential treatment were discharged to:
Birth Parents  47%
Foster Care  26%
Relatives/Extended Family  15%
Another Residential Treatment Program  8%
Adoptive Family  4%

There are a smaller number of children whose needs and behaviors prevent them from being able to live in a family setting. These children typically will go to a long-term CHS unit, or to another residential facility for older children.

HOW MANY STAFF DO YOU HAVE?
Statewide, CHS employs about 360 people. Of that number, about 100 are part-time.

DO YOU HAVE ANY FUNDRAISING EVENTS?
Children’s Home Foundation coordinates several fundraising events/projects each year, but is also fortunate to have many fundraising partners that sponsor events, with CHS as the beneficiary. Many of those have become annual events!

Media One FunSki for Children’s Inn (Sioux Falls)
Rushmore Rotary Club Winter GALA (Mount Rushmore)
Orion Classic Golf Tournament (Sioux Falls)
Rushmore Rotary Club Golf Tournament (Rapid City)
Borrowed Bucks Poker Run (Sioux Falls)
Jon Crane & Artisan’s Art Auction (Black Hills)
Little Red Stocking Fund Drive (statewide)
Gift Wrap Booth for Children's Inn
 
HOW ARE YOU FUNDED?
Children’s Home Society’s annual operating budget for FY 2012-13 is $17.3 million. The chart below represents the budgeted revenue sources. 

 


 

 

 
 

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Children's Home Society
PO Box 1749
801 N Sycamore Ave
Sioux Falls, SD 57101-1749
605.334.6004