Youth & Family Services (YFS) Rapid City Head Start is a federally funded, no-cost, parent-focused education program that serves low-income children, ages 4 weeks-5 years, and their families. Program goals include increasing social skills and school readiness for young children while increasing the self-sufficiency for families. YFS Rapid City Head Start gives priority to families who meet the household income guidelines or have children with disabilities. Income guidelines are established by the federal government each year. All services are free of charge for participants who qualify. Head Start® is a registered trademark of HHS.

Temperament is the unique combination of traits that make a child an individual. Understanding a child's temperament will: Help each child reach maximum potential Help parents discover each child's unique behavioral style Understanding a child's temperament may: Reduce stress for family members Support an active role in the child's development Strengthen family bonds Through this program, participants will receive the following: An individualized profile for each child in the family Classes to help develop a more accurate image of a child Educational materials One-to-one educational contact

Provides scholarship opportunities to assist children currently in the foster care system with the ability to participate in sports, activities, or cultural events. The criteria to apply for the scholarships are as follows: the child must be in long-term foster care, the child or family must approach the merchant and ask for a reduction in the cost of the activity, and no other state or local program availability to assist with the costs. Also provides bedroom furniture and food assistance to enable foster families to take in sibling groups or older or younger children.

ZoeCare seeks to meet the needs of women and men experiencing an unplanned pregnancy through free and confidential pregnancy resources. Services include Pregnancy Testing, Limited Obstetric Ultrasound, Pregnancy Options Counseling, Lactation Counseling, Pregnancy and Parenting Education, Baby Supplies, STI Testing and Treatment, and Abortion Pill Reversal.

The WPRC seeks to divert or delay those we serve from substance use and other high-risk behaviors to promote choices/behaviors resulting in lifelong mind and body wellness. The WPRC primarily focuses prevention support services to stakeholders in South Dakota's 22 westernmost counties, but often serves an even broader audience. The WPRC's services include providing education, technical assistance, training and other support to prevention service providers, youth, parents, educators, community groups, social service providers, health/wellness agencies, chemical dependency service providers, law enforcement and other community wellness stakeholders. WPRC staff can provide community education and information on a broad range of prevention topics. These topics include: - Individual drugs (alcohol, nicotine, vaping, marijuana, methamphetamine, fentanyl, etc.) - Trends in drug use - Over the counter drug misuse - The science of chemical dependence (brain and body) - Risky behavior marketing - 988/211 Helpline usage The WPRC maintains a traditional library of books and other media relating to prevention, health and wellness. Visit the website to create an account to access the e-library. Both are no cost and open to all.

Provides insight and information regarding typical behaviors and the stages of development in children. From birth to their first day of school and beyond, Avera's Family Life Educators are available to help every step of the way. Offers a variety of training opportunities for parents, babysitters, and child care centers/providers. Training and classes include personalized Childcare Provider Training, Babysitting Classes for Tweens aged 10-13, and Home Alone Class for children ages 9-13. The Temperament Project can help better understand a child and can help choose appropriate techniques that fit a child's unique approach to life. Completing a Temperament Profile will give an individualized graph containing details of the child's characteristics in each of the 9 Temperament Traits. Contact Avera's Family Life Educators to discuss the Temperament Profile, free of charge.

6 week, 12-hour program of instruction, videos, and role play that helps parents develop and practice skills to: give clear message to their children, effectively use praise; change behavior through the use of consequences; prevent and correct negative behaviors; and help children learn self-control techniques. To register call or visit the Career Learning Center.

Planning Life provides an open mind, open heart, and open arms to any mother in need, whether she is pregnant, a mother who chooses to place her baby for adoption, a mother who chooses to raise her child, or a mother who chooses abortion. Provides support to fathers and new grandparents, who find themselves involved in a pregnancy, adoption, or abortion situation. ​Planning Life offers pregnancy testing, STD information, unplanned pregnancy peer-counseling, parenting information, referrals, peer-counseling, adoption information, post-abortion stress information, and abstinence information.

Youth & Family Services (YFS) Rapid City Head Start is a federally funded, no-cost, parent-focused education program that serves low-income children, ages 4 weeks-5 years, and their families. Program goals include increasing social skills and school readiness for young children while increasing the self-sufficiency for families. YFS Rapid City Head Start gives priority to families who meet the household income guidelines or have children with disabilities. Income guidelines are established by the federal government each year. All services are free of charge for participants who qualify. Head Start® is a registered trademark of HHS.

Youth & Family Services (YFS) Rapid City Head Start is a federally funded, no-cost, parent-focused education program that serves low-income children, ages 4 weeks-5 years, and their families. Program goals include increasing social skills and school readiness for young children while increasing the self-sufficiency for families. YFS Rapid City Head Start gives priority to families who meet the household income guidelines or have children with disabilities. Income guidelines are established by the federal government each year. All services are free of charge for participants who qualify. Head Start® is a registered trademark of HHS.

Provides empowerment to families to be spaces where caregivers and children can heal. Provides support, education, and inspiration to adoptive and foster families with opportunities to connect with other foster and adoptive families through monthly gatherings and classes including: Monthly Family Gatherings: Through a combination of trauma-informed education, small group sharing, and food that you don't have to make, the gatherings exist to remind you that you are not alone and healing is possible. Making Sense of Your Worth: An 8-week program that helps adults overcome their own painful pasts so they can be free to be the caregiver they desire to be. Through a series of group sessions, you'll make space for self-reflection, unpack how your past affects your present, and ultimately rebuild a life of positive worth. Parenting for Positive Self Worth: An 8-week program focusing on learning a variety of parenting strategies designed to help adults parent their children in a way that promotes healing from exposure to trauma. In addition, parenting strategies are designed to help parents establish a positive self-worth in their children. Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI): A training designed to help caregivers see and meet the needs of children and youth from hard places. This model is based on three sets of interacting principles: connecting, empowering, and correction. This course moves from theory to practical application.

Coordinates resources and referral services for young families. Facilitates case management services and dedicates its efforts to providing parents with support during their childbearing and child-rearing years to focus on the important of health families. Offers the following prenatal and parenting education classes: Childbirth Class: Provides childbirth information. Topics include warning signs and progression of labor, relaxation breathing and other relaxation techniques, comfort and pain management, and newborn care. This is a 3-hour, in-person session. Breastfeeding Class: Provides education to families on the advantages of breastfeeding, guides them on getting started, addresses common issues, discusses milk storage, and offers tips for returning to work. This is a two-hour, in-person session. Sibling Readiness Class: Provides siblings and their parents or caregivers valuable information about becoming a big brother or sister. Tours of the Avera St. Mary's Women's Center may be available to learn about the place where mom and the new baby will stay. This class is especially appropriate for children 3 years of age and older. Common Sense Parenting Class: Provides parenting education to parents or caregivers with children and adolescents of all ages who want to enhance their parenting skills. Skills learned can be used with any parenting style and with any single parent, two-parent, or multi-parent set of rules. Topis covered include parents as teachers, effective praise, teaching self-control, preventing teaching, and corrective teaching. Participants will learn how to reduce family stress, support success in school, diminish yelling and fighting, reduce problem behavior, increase confidence, and enrich their relationships with their children. SMILE (Start Making it Livable for Everyone) Class: An educational program for separating/divorcing parents with minor children. Helps parents to better understand the effects of separation and divorce, the needs of their children, and the roles in promoting their children's healthy adjustment to separation or divorce. This program is approved by the judicial system for parents involved in custody or visitation cases. Pregnancy Education and Support for Teens: Provides prenatal education about nutrition and exercise, decision making skills, building self-esteem, adoption information, educational planning, Lamaze breathing and relaxation techniques, parenting skills, tour of an Obstetrics Wing, and newborn care. Young women are invited to attend and bring their family supporters to learn more about labor, delivery, and parenting a newborn. Parenting Education and Support for Teens: Provides parenting education about the challenges of parenting, child care, nutrition and medical care, play and discipline, community resources, goal setting, school and/or work, decision making skills, coping skills, communication and relationships, and finance and legal concerns. Young moms, their babies, dads, and family supporters are invited to attend.

The Discover Your Child at Home Program (DYC) is a family training program that takes place where the child feels most comfortable, in their own home. The DYC staff meets with parents and together determining areas to focus on. The DYC staff then provides parents educational activities that promote child development, while offering them ideas and support regarding various situations and behaviors. This program strives to provide a positive and educational foundation for children ages 0 to 6 years old. Some topics addressed Child Friendly Environments, Daily Routines - Feeding, Dressing, Behavioral Issues, Potty Training, Setting Limits, Language and Communication Skills, Relationship Development, and Developmentally Appropriate Environments.

YFS Home-Based Head Start is a federally-funded, no-cost, parent-focused educational program that serves income-eligible families with children, birth to age 5, and expectant parents. YFS Home-Based Head Start strives to support parents as their child's primary educators and advocates. Degreed staff work with families in their homes to provide parents with tools and resources that increase their family's self-sufficiency and enhance their children's social skills and school readiness. YFS Home-Based Head Start provides services in Pennington, Meade, Lawrence, Custer, Fall River, Jackson, and Haakon counties. Head Start® is a registered trademark of HHS.

ZoeCare seeks to meet the needs of women and men experiencing an unplanned pregnancy through free and confidential pregnancy resources. Services include Pregnancy Testing, Limited Obstetric Ultrasound, Pregnancy Options Counseling, Lactation Counseling, Pregnancy and Parenting Education, Baby Supplies, STI Testing and Treatment, and Abortion Pill Reversal.

Provides mutual coordination, cooperation, and communication among foster parents, agency representatives, and the community to improve the foster care system and enhance the lives of foster children and foster families. Raises awareness of current issues, increasing community awareness of the foster care program, and the needs for foster families, providing training and continuing education for foster parents in order to improve recruitment, retention, and the foster family effectiveness. Provides information and referral services to organizations that host support group meetings for foster families and connects them to community organizations that can support families.