RAPID CITY, S.D. – November 9, 2026 – Children’s Home Society of South Dakota (CHS), in partnership with Elevate Rapid City, officially opened the doors to its new Rapid City campus on Tuesday, October 20, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony attended by community and state leaders, donors, partners, and supporters. The new campus is located at 5301 Mount Rushmore Road.
To complete the nearly $30 million trauma-informed design, JLG Architects transformed the former National American University building into a 110,000-square-foot campus dedicated to preventing, treating, and healing trauma. The new facility brings an adolescent Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facility, a Day School, a Children’s Advocacy Center, and a Behavioral Health Clinic together under one roof.
“The new CHS campus will improve lives and empower positive change with trauma-informed design, specialized behavioral health environments, and holistic interior design. This has been an incredibly meaningful project, impacting how CHS staff operate and how the facility’s youth live, learn, and heal. Collaborating with CHS leaders and youth, we brought education, treatment, recreation, and family support together to create the ideal environment for healing.”
— Todd Medd, AIA | Principal, Healthcare Practice Studio Leader – JLG Architects
This mission-driven facility marks the culmination of more than four years of planning, site assessments, and tireless collaboration between JLG Architects and CHS. The new campus officially replaces the former historic Rockerville campus, which was challenged by aging infrastructure, barriers to care, a remote location, and accessibility issues. The new, more flexible and connected campus provides the space, safety, and modern infrastructure required to deliver the highest standard of trauma-informed care.
“There’s plenty of natural light, there’s lots of appropriate colors, and [it has] more space,” said CHS President and CEO Michelle Lavallee. “Right now in Rockerville, the kids are five in a bedroom. Here, there’s mostly singles and some doubles, and there’s four pods with eight kids. So having that extra space and having a place to learn life skills like cooking, it is a game changer for our kids.”
About CHS of South Dakota
Children’s Home Society of South Dakota has been in service since 1893, helping vulnerable children and families overcome abuse, neglect, mental health challenges, and other difficult circumstances by providing care, education, advocacy, and support. In the Black Hills, CHS has been providing a home, school, and therapy for children, primarily ages 4-13, with emotional and behavioral problems since 1972.
For more information on services and ways to support their mission, visit the CHS of South Dakota site.