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Monument Health Donates Unused COVID Beds To Kids In Need

SDPB / Lee Strubinger
Jace Brock helps Youth & Family Services worker move beds from COVID overflow room

 

COVID cases and hospitalizations are down. So, Monument Health in Rapid City is reducing its COVID unit. As a result, twin-sized beds the hospital no longer needs  will go to West River families. 

The Black Hills hospital system is donating about 90  beds. Workers load up mattresses that  once lined largely overflown rooms.

“We have a lot of families who’ve got a lot of siblings who were previously sleeping on the floor.” 

That’s Brianna Nelson, with Youth and Family Services. The  group serves about 14,000 kids and families in  29 counties. 

“This is a huge gift for kids who’ve maybe had to share beds—or didn’t have one—to have their very own beds,” Nelson says. “We’re very excited to get these to kids and families.” 

Nelson says they  picked up 75 beds earlier this month and they were gone in a day. As COVID cases continue to drop, Monument Health is emptying its virus unit back to space for future growth.   

Jace Brock is with Monument Health. He says  they are glad they did not have to fully utilize the space. 

“Moving out of the dark cloud of the last year, I look at this as hopefully one of the many silver linings coming out of this pandemic,” Brock says. 

The hospital plans to keep about 75 beds on hand  for a possible  COVID surge. The number of new COVID infections has steadily declined since mid-April as more South Dakotans receive their vaccinations.  

Lee Strubinger is SDPB’s Rapid City-based news and political reporter. A former reporter for Fort Lupton Press (CO) and Colorado Public Radio, Lee holds a master’s in public affairs reporting from the University of Illinois-Springfield.