NAMI South Dakota has dissolved, leaving a gap in mental health support services for families and people across South Dakota. The state chapter, originally founded in 1987, closed due to financial challenges, according to executive director Sheri Nelson. Despite this closure, resources remain available throughout the state for people experiencing mental health crises.
Empire Mental Health Support, led by acting president Phyllis Arends (former executive director of NAMI South Dakota), now offers support groups three times a week for adults living with mental illness, with plans to start another group in April. According to Arends, support groups function like friends gathering in a structured environment, where people share what has worked and help each other. Mental illness statistics in South Dakota exceed national averages: in 2021, 23.4% of South Dakota adults aged 18 and up had any mental illness (AMI), higher than the U.S. average of 22.8%.
The 988 Lifeline, directed by Scott Wilson, serves as immediate crisis support and works to connect people with other mental health supports, programs, and agencies. Arends emphasized, “Be kind to your mind. Take care of your mental health. It is not shameful to say, my brain isn’t working right. Please get help.” As community leaders and providers work to fill the gap left by NAMI’s closure, the broader question remains: how will South Dakota support its mental health system when one of its largest grassroots organizations no longer exists?
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.dakotanewsnow.com/2026/02/17/after-namis-closure-where-can-families-people-go-support/