Behavior Management Systems has been providing behavioral health care in Western South Dakota since 1948.

The company started when Dr. Thomas Fox, a psychiatrist at the Fort Meade Medical Center, offered his services a half-day each week. It was called the Mental Health Clinic of Rapid City, and was the only mental health option available to the general public.

That effort eventually led to community leaders incorporating a not-for-profit organization called West River Mental Health Center (WRMHC). A true turning point for WRMHC came in the early 1960's when President John F. Kennedy called for "a bold new approach" to the prevention and treatment of mental illness. The Center responded by expanding outpatient counseling services, launching new programs for adults with major mental illness, and opening offices in Spearfish, SD and Hot Springs, SD.

By the 1980's an increased demand for decreasing government funds forced many not-for-profit agencies to curtail their available services. The WRMHC Board of Directors took a different approach and began looking for other methods of helping needy adults, children, and families. In 1992 the name Behavior Management Systems was adopted to better reflect the growing menu of services provided by the company.

Today over 10,000 people from a 20,000 square mile area rely on Behavior Management Systems to help them cope with the stresses of life. While the size of the organization and scope of the available services has changed, the company's core vision remains the same: building positive change among ourselves and the communities where we live, work, and play.