Abbott House, one of South Dakota’s longest-standing youth treatment organizations, has signed a Letter of Intent to acquire Wellfully, a Rapid City-based provider of substance abuse treatment, psychiatric residential care, and crisis services for youth. The merger aims to expand Abbott House’s presence in western South Dakota while maintaining locally managed services and addressing rising demand for youth mental health and behavioral services.
Expansion Efforts
Since 2013, the Mitchell-based Abbott House has raised more than $10 million in capital investments and expanded to serve Sioux Falls and Rapid City. Earlier this year the organization opened two new foster care homes in Rapid City, bringing its statewide total to 12 homes, each housing up to six children providing structure and support for youth who experienced trauma or instability. Founded in 1939, Abbott House currently provides comprehensive psychiatric residential treatment, intensive foster care, and independent living services for more than 225 youth and families each year.
Wellfully’s Role
Wellfully, which has served children in western South Dakota since 1990, brings existing infrastructure and programs focused on substance abuse treatment, residential care, and crisis intervention. The partnership provides stability and access to a broader support network for Wellfully’s staff and clients.
Unified Services
By bringing Wellfully under Abbott House’s umbrella, the organizations are uniting their strengths to ensure that critical youth mental health and behavioral services remain uninterrupted, stable, and locally led. The acquisition is expected to be finalized early next year, with Abbott House beginning to integrate Wellfully’s programs in Rapid City soon after. Leaders say the merger will allow the organizations to serve more youth than ever before, creating stronger families, healthier communities, and brighter futures for young people across the state.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.mitchellrepublic.com/news/local/abbott-house-plans-acquisition-of-wellfully-to-expand-youth-mental-health-services-in-western-south-dakota