Mental health experts key on children, addiction, regional treatment

Rep. Dusty Johnson hosts forum in Sioux Falls to discuss needs, advances in South Dakota

Children in South Dakota need better access to mental health care, particularly those in rural areas of the state and in Indian Country, a group of mental health experts said Tuesday during a roundtable hosted by Congressman Dusty Johnson.

“We have one school psychologist for every 750 square miles in South Dakota, so we have significant shortages of school psychologists,” said Kari Oyen, who is the program director for the School of Psychology at the University of South Dakota.

Children’s mental health is among the key areas where the state could make improvements in behavioral health for South Dakota’s entire population, the panel concluded during the more than hour-long discussion. South Dakota could benefit from more regional crisis stabilization centers and better substance abuse treatment.