---
title: "South Dakota Nursing Home Abuse Toolkit: Know Your Rights"
url: "https://www.nursinghomeabusecenter.com/research/know-your-state-rights/south-dakota/"
description: "Look up SD nursing home inspection stats, resident rights laws, abuse hotlines, and how long you have to file a lawsuit."
---

Know Your State's Nursing Home Rights

Every state has its own laws, watchdog agencies, and deadlines. Pick your state to see who regulates its nursing homes, what rights residents have, and exactly how to report abuse.

# South Dakota at a Glance

National Safety Standing Rank #17 of 51

96 Total Homes

25 Serious Deficiencies

78 Infection-Related Deficiencies

$3.09M in Penalties

0 Payment Suspensions

0.80 Avg RN Hours Per Resident / Day

### Resident Protection Strength

State Oversight Moderate

Staffing Requirements Limited

Penalties for Violations Limited

Access to Legal Help Limited

The Office of Health Care Facilities Licensure & Certification licenses South Dakota nursing facilities and investigates complaints confidentially.

- Licenses and inspects South Dakota nursing facilities
- Receives complaints at 605-773-3356 — complainants are not identified to the facility
- Sends complainants a written report of investigation results

[Visit the state agency site →](https://doh.sd.gov/)

### Deadlines to Take Legal Action

PERSONAL INJURY 3 years

General claims usually run 3 years; claims about medical care typically run just 2 years from the act itself.

[Learn more about filing deadlines →](https://www.nursinghomeabusecenter.com/legal/statute-limitations/)

WRONGFUL DEATH 3 years

Generally runs from the date of death and is filed by the personal representative.

[Learn more about filing deadlines →](https://www.nursinghomeabusecenter.com/legal/statute-limitations/)

Regulatory & Industry Standards: Our information is based on guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Office of Inspector General (OIG), state health departments, and peer-reviewed research. We also refer to state Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs, which investigate complaints and advocate for residents.