South Dakota Tribal Kinship Care Benefits

Nine Tribes, Multiple Benefit Pathways

South Dakota is home to nine federally recognized Native American tribes, and tribal members raising a relative's child often have access to both state-administered programs and tribally operated alternatives. The choice between them — and the rules about using both — matters for getting the maximum support.

Tribal TANF vs. State TANF

ACF's FY 2023 Tribal TANF caseload report lists the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate of the Lake Traverse Reservation as a Tribal TANF program. Contact the Oyate to confirm its current service area and eligibility requirements.

Federal rules require Tribal TANF plans to prevent a family from receiving duplicative assistance from a State or another Tribe's TANF program. If you receive Tribal TANF, check the tribal plan before applying for state TANF.

This does not mean other state programs are off the table. A family receiving tribal TANF can still apply for state-administered SNAP, Medicaid, and CCAP — those are separate programs with no concurrent-benefit restriction against tribal TANF.

Tribal WIC Services

WIC is a federal nutrition program, and some tribes in South Dakota operate their own WIC clinics. Tribal WIC follows the same federal income guidelines (185% FPL) and provides the same food package as state WIC. If the child or household receives tribal TANF, SNAP, or Medicaid, the child is automatically income-eligible.

South Dakota's WIC directory lists Tribal WIC offices for the Rosebud Sioux, Cheyenne River, and Standing Rock Sioux Tribes. Check the current Department of Health WIC office directory or contact your tribe to find the right clinic.

Title IV-E Tribal Agreements

South Dakota lists State-Tribal Title IV-E agreements with the Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe, Oglala Sioux Tribe, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. The Flandreau and Standing Rock agreements provide Title IV-E funding for eligible children in Tribal Court custody; Oglala Sioux and Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate provide child-protection services from intake to adoption.

South Dakota's State IV-E plan describes how tribes can access GAP guardianship assistance. The child's tribal or DSS caseworker can explain the process for a specific placement.

State Programs Available to All South Dakota Residents

Regardless of tribal membership, Native American kinship caregivers living in South Dakota can access:

• SNAP: Household-based food assistance through DSS, available to all South Dakota residents. Apply at eaportal.sd.gov or your local DSS office.
• Medicaid/CHIP: Health coverage for children under 19, with eligibility based on the child's applicable MAGI household rules. Tribal members can also access IHS services, but Medicaid provides coverage at non-IHS facilities.
• CCAP: Child care subsidies for working or studying caregivers, with the relative caretaker's income excluded from the child's eligibility calculation.
• LIEAP: Low-income energy assistance during heating months for qualifying households.

Where to Start

If you are a tribal member, contact your tribe's social services or family services department first. They can tell you whether the tribe operates its own TANF or IV-E program and help you determine whether the tribal or state track is better for your family's situation.

For state programs, the application process is the same regardless of tribal membership — eaportal.sd.gov for SNAP and Medicaid, paper application for TANF.

The South Dakota Financial Help Guide covers both state and tribal pathways with a checklist for determining which programs your family qualifies for.

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