LSS is accredited by the Council on Accreditation and licensed by the State of South Dakota. We serve people of all ages, faiths, races and economic status with professional, confidential and affordable services. LSS responds to changing needs in South Dakota communities. LSS touched the lives of South Dakotans 61,144 times last year with a variety of services statewide. LSS is accredited by the Council on Accreditation, a ministry of the South Dakota Synod, ELCA, a member of Lutheran Services in America, a United Way agency and licensed by the State of South Dakota.
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Services Offered
Counseling Services - LSS outpatient counseling offers a variety of services for individuals, families, couples, or groups
* Individual, couples and family therapy. * Group therapy and education groups. * Marriage preparation. * Mental health assessments and evaluations. * Mediation. * Critical incident counseling following a traumatic incident in a school, congregation or workplace. * Counseling for victims of crime - if you have been the victim of a violent crime, you may be eligible for counseling services at no cost to you. Contact LSS for more information.
Outpatient counseling - can help individuals, couples, and families clarify their situations, examine possible solutions, and develop coping strategies. LSS provides affordable counseling services, with a sliding fee scale for basic counseling services based on income. There are some specialized counseling and psychiatric services that are not covered under the sliding fee structure.
LSS is covered under most insurance plans and accepts South Dakota Medicaid and Medicare. Some insurance requires pre-certification procedures, which our counselors can help you navigate.
Services Offered To: Adults Couples Teens Children
Special Groups: Faith-Based
Payment: Sliding Scale Medicare Medicaid
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Qualifying for assistance from South Dakota's program usually depends on the severity of your condition and financial circumstance. Read our full guide to South Dakota's program.
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.