Monument Health has broken ground on a major expansion project aimed at improving care for mothers, newborns, and children in western South Dakota.
The health system on Thursday announced the start of a 63,000-square-foot, $48 million Children’s Hospital Expansion at Monument Health in Rapid City. The project will add new labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum facilities, along with an expanded Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.
Officials say the project will include 19 Labor, Delivery, Recovery and Postpartum, or LDRP, rooms, allowing mothers to remain in the same room throughout the childbirth process. The expansion will also convert the NICU from its current open-bay design to 25 private and semi-private rooms.
Monument Health President and CEO Paulette Davidson said the project is intended to help meet the needs of a growing region while reducing the burden on families seeking specialized care close to home.
Construction is scheduled to begin in August and is expected to be completed by February 2028. The Monument Health Foundation has raised more than $7 million toward the project since 2022.
Once the addition is complete, the current women’s and children’s care space will be renovated to expand pediatric services.
