This office licenses food services, lodging establishments, and campgrounds to assure health and safety standards are met and the public health protected. It handles complaint investigations involving such facilities while routine inspections are conducted by the State Inspection Program in the Department of Public Safety. This office takes complaints about public health issues at a food or lodging establishment, campground, bed and breakfast, or a specialty resort in South Dakota. There are 2 options: Complete and submit a complaint form online Call the Office of Health Protection and a staff person will document the complaint information. Each complaint filed should include nature of the complaint, whether the complaint involves illness, location of the complaint (name, address, city and phone), name, address, city and phone number of person making the complaint, whether a response in follow-up to the investigation is desired.

The City Health Department handles a wide variety of issues. The Environmental Health Division consists of programs that regulate tattoo parlors, lodging, campground, Project NICE, food protection programs, child care registration program, noise permits, and environmental/nuisance complaints. The Public Health Laboratory provides testing services such as environmental microbiology, water testing for private wells/swimming pools, and clinical testing.