The South Dakota Department of Social Services believes in strengthening and supporting individuals and families by promoting cost effective and comprehensive services in connection with our partners that foster independent and healthy families. We offer a wide variety of services to the people of South Dakota including food cost assistance, temporary financial help, heating assistance and weatherization, child care assistance, Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance, child protection services, foster care and adoption services, child support services, community and correctional behavioral health, licensing and accreditation, and in-patient behavioral health care.