State Resources
South Dakota Department of Education
Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
The state’s hub for special education resources. Families can find information about parent and guardian rights, the special education process, and contact information for state support.
South Dakota Department of Human Services
Division of Rehabilitation Services (DRS)
Supports individuals with disabilities in finding and keeping jobs, achieving economic independence, and fully participating in community life.
Division of Service to the Blind and Visually Impaired (SBVI)
Provides personalized rehabilitation services for people who are blind or visually impaired, helping them reach their goals for employment and independent living.
Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD)
Ensures that individuals with developmental disabilities have equal opportunities and access to the services and supports they need to live, work, and thrive in South Dakota communities.
Speciality Disability Services
Student Who Is Blind or Visually Impaired (BVI, VI, or VIP)
Tips for Parents – Students who are Blind or Visually Impaired
South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired (SDSBVI)
Offers specialized education programs, assistive technology, and life skills training for students who are blind or visually impaired. The school helps students build independence, confidence, and academic success.
South Dakota Rehabilitation Center for the Blind
Helps individuals with visual impairments build skills for success at home, school, and work to lead full and productive lives.
Student Who Is Deaf or Hard of Hearing (DHH, HOH, or HH)
Tips for Parents – Students Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Hearing Aid Assistance Program (HAAP)
Provides financial support for hearing aids to South Dakota children aged 18 or younger who are deaf or hard of hearing meeting eligibility requirements.
Provides financial assistance to qualifying South Dakota children who are 21 years old or younger meeting all eligibility requirements.
South Dakota Services for the Deaf (SDSD)
Provides guidance, tools, and support for students who are deaf or hard of hearing to succeed in school, work, and community life. Families can access resources to help with communication, learning accommodations, and self-advocacy.
South Dakota Deaf Resources & Outreach Programs (SD DROP)
Supports Deaf and Hard of Hearing students and their families by providing resources, advocacy, and inclusive community connections across the state.
Student Who Has a Mental Health Concern or an Emotional Disability (ED)
Tips for Parents – Support Mental Health
South Dakota Behavioral Health (SD BH)
Supports the mental health and emotional well-being of children, teens, and families. Families can access counseling, resources, and programs that help students cope with stress, develop healthy habits, and thrive socially and emotionally.
Student Who Has an Intellectual/Developmental Disability (I/DD or DD)
Tips for Parents – Students Who Have a Developmental Disability
Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD)
Ensures that individuals with developmental disabilities have equal opportunities and access to the services and supports they need to live, work, and thrive in South Dakota communities.
Independent Living Services
Independent Living Choices (ILC)
ILC services are designed and structured to open doors for people with disabilities. We help individuals access the community, employment, and many other areas of life that allows them their independence.
Counties served: Aurora, Beadle, Bon Homme, Brookings, Brown, Brule, Buffalo, Campbell, Charles Mix, Clark, Clay, Codington, Davison, Day, Deuel, Douglas, Edmunds, Faulk, Grant, Gregory, Hamlin, Hand, Hanson, Hutchinson, Hyde, Jerauld, Kingsbury, Lake, Lincoln, Marshall, McCook, McPherson, Miner, Minnehaha, Moody, Potter, Roberts, Sanborn, Spink, Turner, Union, Walworth, Yankton
Western Resources for Independent Living (WRIL)
Assists individuals in finding affordable, accessible housing, equipping their homes with assistive technologies, and enhancing independent living skills.
Counties served: Pennington, Meade, Lawrence, Butte, Custer, Fall River, Stanley, Sully, Hughes, Jones, Lyman, Mellette, Tripp, Harding, Perkins, Haakon, northern Jackson
Assistive Technology and Communication Services
A one-stop resource for assistive technology, from equipment to software. DakotaLink helps with assessing needs, installing devices, and providing training. They assist schools, facilities, and individual users to make learning, communication, and daily life easier.
Communication Devices and Equipment
Programs that provide specialized tools and devices to help people with disabilities communicate more effectively, supporting independence at home, school, and in the community.
Additional Community Partners
South Dakota Parent Connection (SDPC)
SDPC is the Parent Training and Information Center (PTI) and Family to Family (F2F) Center in South Dakota. SDPC offers individual assistance, training, and resources to families of children, youth, and young adults ages birth to 26 years old with developmental disabilities and/or health concerns. All resources and services found at SDPC are free of charge to individuals and/or their families.
Disability Rights South Dakota (DRSD)
A nonprofit legal services agency that helps people with disabilities understand their rights, access services, and address discrimination or other legal challenges.
South Dakota Statewide Family Engagement Center (SFEC)
Offers home learning resources, strategies, and tools to strengthen connections between schools, families, and communities, helping children succeed academically and socially.
South Dakota Benefit Specialist Network (BSNSD)
Provides guidance for people receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), helping families understand how work and other changes can impact benefits like food assistance, housing, and Medicaid.
University of South Dakota Center for Disabilities (located in Sioux Falls)
Provides training, technical assistance, research, and educational resources for people with disabilities, families, educators, and health care professionals, supporting independence, inclusion, and success in school and community life.
Special Olympics South Dakota provides year-round sports training and competitions for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Special Olympics is much more than sports, providing free health screenings, anti-bullying initiatives in schools across the state, and leadership opportunities – we are striving for a more inclusive world.