Social Services, Dept. of
Scope and Contents
This record group contains records created and mantained by the Department of Social Services as well as its divisions and offices. Records include administrative files; correspondence with other South Dakota government agencies and departments; photographs; case files related to specific persons and families, day cares, and nursing homes; board and commission meeting minutes and agendas; project files; and finally various publications including newsletters and pamphlets, and reports. These records range in date from 1936 to 2006.
Dates
- 1933 - 2006
Restrictions
Due to the nature of responsibilities of the Dept. of Social Services, many records contain confidential information about individuals, which is restricted from public access. Restricted record series are identified in this guide.
Administrative History
The Department of Social Services (DSS) was created in 1973 as part of a larger restructuring of state government. The DSS included "the divisions of social welfare, services to the visually and physically handicapped, mental health and mental retardation, human relations, and corrections." It absorbed the functions of the Department of Public Welfare, the Board of Charities and Corrections, as well as a number of other boards and commissions. The commission on the Status of Women also operated within the department starting in 1975. In 1989, the Board of Charities and Corrections was abolished and its functions transferred to the newly created Department of Corrections and Department of Human Services.
As of 2016, DSS consisted of the division of Adult Services and Aging, division of Behavioral Health Services, division of Child Care Services, division of Child Protection Services, division of Child Support, division of Economic Assistance, division of Legal Services, and finally the division of Medical Services. DSS also oversaw and administered WPA projects in South Dakota. With the exception of the board of Charities and Corrections which has its own finding aid, this finding aid reflects the full administrative history of this agency as records date from 1933 to 2006.
Extent
323.9 Cubic Feet
Language of Materials
English
- Day care Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Day care centers Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Foster Home Care Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Nursing Homes Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Public Welfare -- South Dakota Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Refugees Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- South Dakota -- Dept. of Social Services Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Unaccompanied refugee children Subject Source: Library of Congress Subject Headings
- Title
- Guide to the Records of the South Dakota Department of Social Services
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Sara Casper, Government Records Archivist, and Miranda Webster, Processing Intern
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- English
- Sponsor
- Preparation of this finding aid was made possible by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).
- Edition statement
- 1st Edition
Repository Details
Part of the South Dakota State Archives Repository
900 Governors Dr
Pierre South Dakota 57501 USA
605-773-3804
605-773-6041 (Fax)
archref@state.sd.us
