Behavioral Health

All members of the Board of Mental Illness are required to participate in a training prior to undertaking their duties. SDCL 27A-7-9.

• List of County Board Chairs

Training Information

• Registration and Training Instructions
• Affidavits for training
• Mental Health Involuntary Commitment Roadmap
• Substance Use Disorder Involuntary Commitment Roadmap

The Department of Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health provides Qualified Mental Health Professional (QMHP) training as required by SDCL 27A-1-7 to eligible professionals.

The web-based training provides education regarding the statutory requirements pertaining to the emergency committal process and must be completed every four years. This training is not required for professionals to provide services which are within the scope of a licensed discipline. However, QMHP training is required to conduct the examination specified in SDCL 27A-10-6.

If you have questions regarding QMHP training, please reference the document below or contact the Division of Behavioral Health at 605.367.5236.

• QMHP Instructions
• Training workbook *This workbook is a supplemental resource and does not constitute as training.

Training Videos

*Please note: These videos are available for reference and do not constitute as training.

Module 1: Role of the QMHP
Module 2: Understanding Client’s Rights
Module 3: Petitions for Emergency Commitment
Module 4: QMHP  Form
Module 5: What Options Do I Have?
Module 6: What Happens Next?
Module 7: Commitment Roadmap 

South Dakota Codified Law does not allow a person to be tried, sentenced or punished while they are mentally incompetent to proceed. If there is reasonable cause presented by the defense, the prosecution, or the courts an evaluation can be ordered to ensure that a defendant is able to understand the nature and consequences of the court proceedings and to assist properly in their defense.

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Licensed Professionals Qualified to Conduct Court Ordered Competency Evaluations
• Process for eligible professionals to be listed as qualified to conduct court ordered competency evaluations
• Recruitment Pamphlet