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Expanding Access to Treatment.
Strengthening Workforce.
Building Recovery Communities.

Thanka Tatanka removes financial barriers to treatment for Substance Use Disorders, builds the behavioral health workforce, and coordinates care across healthcare, Tribal, and justice systems throughout Western South Dakota.

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SUPPORT THE SCHOLARSHIP FUND

Substance Use Disorders — including alcohol, opioids, methamphetamine, prescription drug misuse, and other substances — continue to impact rural and Tribal communities across Western South Dakota.

Communities face:
 

  • Limited detox and residential treatment capacity

  • High rates of substance-related emergency visits

  • Behavioral health workforce shortages

  • Barriers to treatment for uninsured and justice-involved individuals

  • Gaps in coordination between hospitals, Tribal systems, and community providers


Without structured access and coordinated follow-through, individuals and families fall through systemic gaps.

Thanka Tatanka was created to close those gaps.

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The Need

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Our Model

A Coordinated Continuum of Care

We operate as a centralized Care Coordination Hub connecting:

Hospital or Community Referral → Scholarship Access → Detox → Residential Treatment → Outpatient Services → Peer Support → Long-Term Recovery

By aligning financing, workforce development, and cross-system partnerships, we create a structured recovery pathway that reduces dropout rates and strengthens long-term outcomes for individuals facing Substance Use Disorders.

Our Three Core Initiatives

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1

Treatment Scholarship Program

Thanka Tatanka eliminates financial barriers that prevent individuals from entering and completing treatment for Substance Use Disorders.

The Recovery Scholarship Fund supports:
 

  • Medical detoxification

  • Residential treatment

  • Step-down outpatient services

  • Transitional recovery housing


Priority populations include:
 

  • Uninsured and underinsured individuals

  • Native American Tribal members

  • Veterans

  • Justice-involved individuals

  • Individuals referred by hospitals or first responders


Each client receives structured case coordination to ensure continuity of care across all levels of treatment.

2

Workforce Develop & Clinical Internship Program

South Dakota faces a critical shortage of qualified addiction professionals able to address alcohol, stimulant, opioid, and polysubstance use disorders.

Through structured partnerships with regional colleges and universities, Thanka Tatanka:
 

  • Trains addiction counseling interns

  • Provides supervised clinical rotations

  • Supports peer recovery certification pathways

  • Expands culturally responsive behavioral health services

  • Strengthens workforce retention in rural communities


Our goal is to build a sustainable workforce pipeline capable of serving the full spectrum of Substance Use Disorders affecting our region.

3

Prevention & Community Education

Long-term recovery and prevention require community-wide education and engagement.

Thanka Tatanka delivers:
 

  • Substance use awareness programming

  • School and college outreach initiatives

  • Training for first responders and families

  • Community education sessions focused on early identification and referral pathways


By strengthening awareness, protective factors, and early intervention systems, we help reduce long-term risk and promote healthier communities.

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Strategic Partnerships

We collaborate with:
 

  • Regional hospitals and emergency departments

  • Tribal health departments

  • Veterans’ health systems

  • Community-based treatment providers

  • Criminal justice diversion programs

  • Educational institutions


Our role is not to duplicate services, but to coordinate and strengthen existing systems so individuals receive timely and appropriate care.

Year 1–2 Targets:
 

  • 50+ individuals receive treatment scholarships

  • 20 counseling interns trained

  • Expanded access to culturally responsive Substance Use Disorder services

  • Stengthened hospital-to-treatment referral pathways


We provide quarterly progress updates and annual impact reporting to ensure transparency, accountability, and measurable outcomes.

Measurable Impact

Long-Term Sustainability

Thanka Tatanka is committed to long-term viability through:
 

  • Continued state and federal grant partnerships

  • University cost-sharing agreements

  • Donor-supported Recovery Scholarship Fund

  • Strategic healthcare collaborations


This is a scalable model designed to address the full spectrum of Substance Use Disorders in rural and Tribal communities.

Join us

Substance Use Disorder affects families, communities, and healthcare systems across Western South Dakota.

Recovery should not be limited by geography, income, or circumstance.

Join us in strengthening access, workforce capacity, and coordinated care across our region.

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