South Dakota Board Issued Professional Licensing Rulings
State counselors and applicants faced new licensure and disciplinary decisions from the oversight board.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Administration
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The South Dakota Board of Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists recently finalized decisions regarding practitioner licensure and professional conduct. These rulings address qualifications for new applicants and disciplinary actions for existing counselors across the state.
Why it matters
These board actions reinforce state standards for mental health services, ensuring that professionals meet established educational and ethical benchmarks. For families seeking therapy, understanding these regulatory requirements helps clarify the professional standards expected of local providers.
State law mandates 2,000 hours of postgraduate supervision for licensure. Shane Larson must now complete 20 hours of ethics training and six months of supervision following a disciplinary finding.
The players
South Dakota Board of Counselors and Marriage and Family Therapists
This state regulatory agency maintains professional standards and enforces ethical codes for marriage and family therapists and counselors.
Hande Briddick
A counselor based in Brookings who successfully obtained a professional counselor license.
Sam Gaster
A counselor who spent 13 years working for Avera in Sioux Falls but was denied a professional license due to missing internship documentation.
Shane Larson
A counselor based in Watertown currently under disciplinary oversight for violating client confidentiality protocols.
The details
Licensure requirements include specific postgraduate supervision hours and transcript documentation of supervised internships. Board disciplinary actions, such as those issued to Shane Larson, result from violations of the American Counseling Association code of ethics, specifically regarding the unauthorized disclosure of client information. Applicants who fail to document all required hours or internship records are denied licensure.
Timeline
Sam Gaster worked for Avera for 13 years.
The board issued these decisions in September 2026.
The Home Front
State regulatory boards serve as the primary enforcement mechanism for maintaining professional standards in mental health care. These decisions reflect a broader trend of state boards strictly applying established ethical codes to ensure public safety in family counseling services.
When seeking family counseling services, verify that your provider holds an active and good-standing license with the state board. You can research provider credentials through the official South Dakota regulatory portal to ensure your family's sensitive health information remains protected.
The takeaway
Maintaining strict licensing and ethical standards protects families during private therapeutic sessions. If you are ever concerned about a provider's conduct, you may contact the state board to verify their current licensure status.
Further reading
Learn more about how state professional oversight operates by visiting the Administration section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KELO-LAND TV.
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