Abbott House provides residential treatment, therapeutic foster care & independent living for youth.
08/06/2025
Did you know? Foster Family Support Specialists are like the aunts and uncles to our foster children, stepping in to provide care when foster parents need a break.
As a Support Specialist, you stay overnight at the foster home, acting as the “parent” while helping with school runs, meals, homework, routines, and keeping everyone safe. It’s a vital role that makes a big difference!
Each summer, we release goldfish into the water, giving our girls a fun way to learn about caring for animals - like feeding them, keeping their water clean, and safely transferring them.
This playful bunch loves hide-and-seek in the rocks and waterfall, so the girls have fun spotting them during outdoor time!
When the weather cools down in the fall, our awesome clerical staff step up and bring the fish home to care for them through the winter. Just one more way our garden brings learning (and joy) to life!
08/04/2025
Recognizing the vital role we play in helping young people grow, heal, and thrive, Abbott House is committed to expanding our reach to serve even more children in need.
There will always be children searching for hope, and we strive to be that guiding light.
We look forward to the many success stories ahead, filled with resilience, healing, and transformation. 💙
08/01/2025
The future is bright at Abbott House! With growing resources and opportunities, we’re serving more youth every day.
Our work is all about transforming lives by providing care that nurtures, enriches, and strengthens the well-being of the young people we serve.
Consider becoming a foster parent and help us provide a loving, supportive home for those who need it most.
Save the date!
Join us the morning of Thursday, September 25 for breakfast and discussion about the urgent need to help South Dakota youth in crisis.
Hear from South Dakota leaders John Stiegelmeier, Dana Dykhouse, Dusty Johnson, and learn about the powerful work Abbott House has been doing for over 85 years.
Every day, Abbott House is committed to enriching the lives of youth and families across South Dakota through therapeutic residential treatment, foster care, and independent living services.
Our top priority is to support those in need by creating opportunities for healing, growth, and long-term success. As the need for trauma-informed care continues to grow, so does our dedication to expanding services and programs that help young people gain stability and confidence in their futures.
Our mission to be champions for those we serve is ongoing and we’re just getting started. 💙
07/30/2025
It is with sad hearts we share the passing of one of Spirit of Dakota's biggest supporters. Mr. Paul Christen and his wife, Mrs. Donna (Muffy) Christen, were instrumental in establishing the Spirit of Dakota Award which will celebrate it's 40th Anniversary next year. Mrs. Christen was the founding Chair of Spirit of Dakota Award Society with Mr. Christen's full support, attending and celebrating SD Women each year. Mr. Christen passed away peacefully to join his wife on Sunday. We will share a Cheers of Gratitude to the Christens at our Spirit of Dakota Celebration on October 4. (Picture from 2024 Celebration)
07/29/2025
Some of our foster families hit the trails for a summer camping trip filled with campfires, s’mores, and lots of laughter! The kids had an incredible time exploring, playing, and just getting to be kids.
These moments of connection are more than just fun. They’re powerful steps in building trust, healing hearts, and creating lasting bonds. 💛
We’re so grateful our foster families make time for these adventures. This is what growing together looks like.
07/28/2025
Do you have a passion for working with youth and making a meaningful impact?
Abbott House is looking for a Youth Engagement Specialist in Mitchell, SD to join our dedicated team! In this role, you’ll help guide, support, and empower young people, many of whom are in residential programs, as they work toward brighter futures.
Help us empower youth, build connections, and create lasting impact in a supportive, mission-driven environment.
Some of our amazing Abbott House kids volunteered over the 4th of July celebration weekend, spreading smiles with face painting and fun temporary tattoos!
We’re so proud to be part of a team that gives back and brings joy to the community. ❤️💙
07/25/2025
At Abbott House, we welcome youth from across South Dakota and beyond, providing trauma-informed care that promotes healing, growth, and success.
For over 85 years, we've offered foster care and residential treatment with one belief at our core: every child deserves a second chance. 💙
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Today we are faced with anxiety and uncertainty. We have questions about our future and the new reality each one of us will face. We feel like we are experiencing on ongoing earthquake that never stops shaking and changing things.
Ironically at Abbott House we are helping children who have lived with this feeling of vulnerability for much of their lives. Not a feeling of vulnerability about a virus, but a feeling of uncertainty about their lives. You see, children who have lived through abuse, neglect and other negative events understand the feeling of life being out of control.
In our programs we see the fallout from these life events. Even in this time of uncertainty, we continue to work hard to provide safety and stability for our young people and our staff. We know that during times of sickness and dramatic change, our own children need us more than ever. It is the same for the young people in our care. Our commitment to South Dakota children has never been stronger thanks to the dedicated Abbott House employees who are working tirelessly to maintain a sense of normalcy for our youth.
Our residential treatment program is operating as usual with girls attending school and living in our treatment facility like they always do. They miss seeing the many volunteers who come to tutor, entertain or educate them, but they understand limiting visitors will keep them safe.
In our Bridges therapeutic foster homes in Rapid City and Mitchell, we are above capacity. There are so many children who need a family and a safe home right now. Our foster parents are truly amazing. Every one of our homes is operating like a "home school," with scheduled class times and study times for each home so our young people can adequately access computers and other technology to complete classroom assignments. They are having virtual visits with social workers and coordinating telehealth with counselors.
Perhaps the students who are struggling the most are those who are no longer employed. Some of our foster children and our young adults in the independent living program lost their jobs due to the situation. Because of these hardships, we have waived rent for all of our independent living occupants and are helping to pay for their basic needs such as food, medicine, clothing, transportation, and other basic needs while also offering encouragement during this difficult time.
Yet, despite all of these challenges, our amazing and dedicated staff continues to encourage and support each other, while serving our youth and families with understanding and compassion. We know there are still challenging weeks ahead.
We cannot do this alone. The financial burden being felt by so many is also persistent at Abbott House. If you would like to help the youth and our staff with necessary masks, groceries, transportation and other medical needs, please use the following link to give online.
Donate
Thank you for helping during this challenging time. We will get through this TOGETHER and we will be stronger in the end.
