In September 2005, the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) funded seven original Vanguard Centers (VCs) to initiate the Study. NICHD researchers selected Brookings County, SD, combined with Yellow Medicine, Pipestone, and Lincoln Counties, MN, (BYPL) as one Vanguard Study Location. BYPL along with Duplin County, North Carolina, were the first two Study Locations to represent rural areas.
South Dakota State University (SDSU) was named as the Study Center to lead the BYPL study location. This map shows the four BYPL counties.
A team of researchers at South Dakota State University (SDSU) is conducting the study in the BYPL Counties.
BYPL Counties
Brookings County, is home to SDSU and is the main point of operation for the SDSU Study Center.
- Established in 1871
- Brookings, SD, is the County Seat
- 2010 Census population 31,965
- Established in 1871
- Granite Falls, MN, is the County Seat
- 2010 Census population 10,438
- Established in 1857
- Pipestone, MN, is the County Seat
- 2010 Census population 9,596
- Established in 1873
- Ivanhoe, MN, is the County Seat
- 2010 Census population 5,896