State Overview: South Dakota

Prior authorization requirements are up to the discretion of the state Medicaid program or insurance company.

South Dakota credentials two types of addiction counselors. A Certified Addiction Counselor requires, at minimum, a high school diploma, 27 hours of related education courses and 8,000 hours of experience. A higher-level degree can substitute the number of hours (i.e. a person with a bachelor's degree needs 4,000 hours). A Licensed Addiction Counselor requires a graduate degree, 21 semester hours of relevant education courses and 2,000 hours of experience. S.D. Codified Laws Ann. §36-34 and South Dakota Board of Addiction Professionals

Licensed professional counselors diagnose and treat mental, emotional or behavioral disorders and associated distresses that interfere with mental health. Counselors also conduct assessments and diagnoses for the purpose of planning, implementation and evaluation of treatment plans and interventions. S.D. Codified Laws §36-32-47

There are currently no statutory or regulatory standards for the certification of peer support service providers.

Full independent practice and prescriptive authority.

The CNM shall collaborate with other health care providers and refer or transfer patients as appropriate. CNMs may prescribe drugs, devices and Schedules II-V controlled substances. S.D. Codified Laws Ann. § 36-9A-13

Full independent practice and prescriptive authority.

The certified NP shall collaborate with other health care providers and refer or transfer patients as appropriate. NPs may prescribe drugs, devices and Schedules II-V controlled substances. S.D. Codified Laws Ann. §36-9A-12

NPs are authorized to sign medical orders for scope of treatment forms. S.D. Codified Laws Ann. §34-12H

NPs are not explicitly recognized in state policy as primary care providers.

Physician relationship required for practice authority but not for prescriptive authority.

South Dakota opted out of the CRNA federal supervision requirement in 2005.

The CRNA shall collaborate with a physician, a dentist, a podiatrist, a certified nurse practitioner, a certified nurse midwife or a physician assistant when providing anesthesia services and engaging in chronic pain practice. S.D. Codified Laws Ann. §36-9-3.1

CRNAs may prescribe, procure, administer and furnish pharmacological agents in connection with anesthesia practice or pain management, including over-the-counter, legend and controlled drugs or Schedule II substances. A CRNA who meets state and federal controlled substance registration requirements must register with the state’s prescription drug monitoring program and meet certain requirements prior to prescribing any controlled substances. S.D. Codified Laws Ann. §36-9-3.1; S.D. Codified Laws § 20-48-04-08 ; S.D. Codified Laws § 20-48-04-09

Optometrists may only perform procedures related to foreign body removal and the examination, evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of the human eye. S.D. Codified Laws §36-7-1

Optometrists may not use injectables to diagnose or treat the eye. S.D. Codified Laws §36-7-1

Optometrists may prescribe Schedule III-V controlled substances and also Schedule II hydrocodone or hydrocodone combination medications to persons 12 years of age and older. S.D. Codified Laws §36-7-1

A dental hygienist may perform preventive and therapeutic services under the collaborative supervision of a dentist if the dental hygienist has a license to practice in the state, enters into a collaborative agreement with the dentist, and has additional skills and knowledge (e.g., how to respond to dental emergencies, how to manage childhood caries, etc.). Collaborative supervision may be provided to patients in a school, nursing facility, Head Start program, nonprofit mobile dental clinic, community health center, or government program who have been evaluated by a dentist within the previous thirteen months. S.D. Codified Laws §36-6A-40 and S.D. Admin. Rules §20:43:10

Statute does not identify dental therapists as an oral health provider.

South Dakota allows for teledentistry services delivered through store-and-forward. S.D. Codified Laws §36-6A-1(31)

South Dakota has not enacted legislation allowing pharmacists to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. However, the federal PREP Act allowed pharmacists to administer the COVID-19 vaccine through the duration of the public health emergency.

South Dakota does not allow pharmacists to modify prescriptions.

South Dakota does not allow pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraceptives.

South Dakota does not allow pharmacists to prescribe tobacco cessation aids.

Supervision by a physician required for practice and prescriptive authority.

A PA shall be considered an agent of the supervising physician in the performance of all practice related activities. A PA may provide those medical services that are delegated by the supervising physician if the service is within the PA's skills, forms a component of the physician's scope of practice, and is provided with supervision including: (1) Initial medical diagnosis and institution of a plan of therapy or referral; (2) Prescribing and provision of drug samples or a limited supply of labeled medications, including controlled substances listed on Schedule II for one period of not more than 30 days, for treatment of causative factors and symptoms. Medications or sample drugs provided to patients shall be accompanied with written administration instructions and appropriate documentation shall be entered in the patient's record. PAs may request, receive, and sign for professional samples of drugs provided by the manufacturer; S.D. Codified Laws §36-4A-26.1

The term, practice agreement, as used in this chapter, means a written agreement authored and signed by the PA and the supervising physician. The practice agreement shall prescribe the delegated activities which the PA may perform, consistent with § 36-4A-26.1 and contain such other information as required by the board to describe the PA's level of competence and the supervision provided by the physician. S.D. Codified Laws §36-4A-1.1

Statute limits the number of PAs a physician may supervise.

A supervising physician may apply to the board for permission to supervise more than one PA. The board shall establish the number of physician assistants, up to four FTE, to be supervised by a supervising physician based upon its finding that adequate supervision will exist under the arrangement proposed by the supervising physician. S.D. Codified Laws §36-4A-29.1

South Dakota does not currently have any provisions related to chart review or co-chart signatures.

Statute allows adaptable proximity.

The physician, by supervision, continuous monitoring, and evaluation accepts initial and continuing responsibility for the PA or assistants responsible to the physician until such relationship is terminated. Supervision may be by direct personal contact, or by a combination of direct personal contact and contact via telecommunication, as may be required by the board. S.D. Codified Laws §36-4A-29

A written agreement developed by the supervising physician and the PA is required outlining the delegated activities which the PA may perform. S.D. Admin. Rules §20:52:01:03