The community of Brookings County became the first Resilient Community in South Dakota April 14, 2021. The Resilient Communities’ framework was created by the CPCM and its partner organizations to help address factors in communities that put children at risk for abuse and neglect. It also creates an environment that is trauma-informed, so community members understand the lifetime effects of experiencing childhood adversity. The process also identifies existing resources in the community that can be used to strengthen multi-sector collaborations and prevention efforts.

The Resilient Communities framework follows the goals of the School of Health Sciences, which oversees CPCM, in providing a holistic philosophy of care to the people of South Dakota, helping mandatory reporters recognize the importance of their duty and creating greater opportunities for law enforcement, healthcare providers, child protection service and behavioral health and workers collaborate to protect children.