Drug addiction in South Dakota is driving a major new investment in the state’s youngest residents. Even though The Mount Rushmore State features a wide selection of community programs and modern inpatient services for all residents, those most vulnerable may still split through the cracks.
That’s where Emily’s Hope comes in. Starting next school year, a K-12 substance abuse prevention curriculum could reach all 141,000 students enrolled in South Dakota public schools. The program gives kids the tools to recognize and resist addiction before it starts.
Emily’s Hope is a nonprofit based in Sioux Falls. The organization was founded by journalist Angela Kennecke after losing her own daughter to a fentanyl overdose. The organization recently received more than $518,000 from the state’s opioid settlement fund by the state’s Department of Social Services to bring its curriculum to public schools statewide.
Fentanyl Matters
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid far more potent than heroin. Even a tiny amount can be fatal, and counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl have made it one of the deadliest drugs in the country. Signs of fentanyl addiction include slowed breathing, extreme drowsiness, confusion, withdrawal from family and friends, and sudden behavioral changes.
A separate $100,000 grant from the South Dakota Community Foundation supports a related public awareness effort called Facing Fentanyl to educate roughly 50,000 Dakotan students, parents and educators about the drug’s dangers.
The Addiction Education Program
Unlike the once-a-year DARE assemblies many adults remember, this curriculum is woven into regular classroom instruction throughout the school year. It follows students from kindergarten through high school, gradually building in complexity. Early lessons focus on emotional growth, trust issues with adults, and understanding the body. By junior high, students know how substances affect the brain. High school lessons become more practical and student-led, addressing the real risks teens face.
Critically, the lessons are delivered by familiar teachers, school counselors, and nurses, not outside visitors. Continuity and trust are key to effective prevention. Teachers receive guidance on handling sensitive conversations, including when a student discloses concerns about how families can respond to substance use together.
The curriculum already reaches 30,000 students across six states through earlier pilot programs.
Signs of Addiction to Watch For
Addiction can be hard to spot, especially in young people who may be hiding what they see or experience at home. Common signs of addiction include:
- Sudden mood swings or changes in behavior
- Withdrawing from school, friends, or activities
- Declining grades or poor concentration
- Secretiveness around phone or whereabouts
- Changes in sleep patterns or appetite
- Missing money or valuables at home
If you recognize these signs in someone you care about, reaching out for help early makes a crucial difference.
For South Dakota Families
In rural communities, the impact of addiction is often personal and close. In Wilmot, a northeast town of about 380 people, two overdose deaths in a single year prompted the local school counselor to pilot Emily’s Hope’s curriculum. Teachers quickly learned that students already knew far more about drug use in their homes than expected. The curriculum gave them language and context to process what they were seeing.
Similar challenges exist on the Rosebud Indian Reservation, where the pilot program at Rosebud Elementary School serves a high-poverty community with elevated rates of substance use. Kennecke noted that many students in both North and South Dakota have a family member affected by substance use disorder, but often lack the framework to understand it.
The Sioux Falls School District, the largest in the state with around 25,000 students, will also receive $1 million from the April grant. Part of the funds will go toward implementing the Emily’s Hope curriculum.
Addiction Treatment in South Dakota & Beyond
Prevention education is one piece of addressing the addiction crisis. If someone in your family is already impacted, connecting with professional support is the next step.
No matter where you’re located, addiction treatment centers offer services including medically supervised detox, inpatient and outpatient programs, and long-term recovery support.
Check out our listings of treatment centers across the nation. Also, feel free to call
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