Public News Service

Approximately one child in 36 in the United States has a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, with one in six children having at least one developmental or intellectual disorder. (Photographee.eu/Adobe Stock)

NE rolls out new disability support for 850 families

As the country observes Autism Acceptance Month, Nebraska families raising a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder are among those learning they will …

As of 2023, 29 of Nebraska's 93 counties had no behavioral health professionals. (Adobe Stock)

NE behavioral health advocates, consumers question $15 million funding shift

A 2023 study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center concluded the number of Nebraskans with a mental health or substance abuse disorder has pr…

States can set more restrictive qualifications for child care subsidies than the federal government. In 2019, nearly 89,000 Nebraska children qualified using federal parameters, but fewer than 36,000 qualified using Nebraska's state-defined rules. (Lordn/Adobe Stock)

Kentucky-inspired bill would help NE child care providers, workforce

In the 2023 Nebraska Rural Poll 61% agreed there's a shortage of affordable child care in their communities, and more than 75% said their communities …

One goal of President Joe Biden's April 2023

Medicaid waiver programs cover in-home care costs for eligible Nebraskans

Many Nebraskans age 65 and older with health limitations, as well as younger people living with a disability, want to remain in their own homes…

In 2023, Nebraska ranked 37th for the percentage of adults experiencing any form of mental illness, at 23.4%, compared with the national average of 20.78%. (Nuttapong punna/Adobe Stock)

2024 means more mental-health care options for NE Medicare recipients

Nebraska was ranked forty-fourth overall in the 2023 Mental Health in America report, and twenty-ninth for access to care. But a change as of January …

In 2021, 37% of people in the U.S. ages 18 and older used telehealth services at least once. (DC Studio/Adobe Stock)

'Champion' NE state senators helped lower insulin costs, strengthen telehealth

As of Jan. 1, insulin will become a lot more affordable for many Nebraskans, and those who have come to rely on telehealth visits are more likely to …

Among registered voters surveyed, nearly 90% of Democrats and 75% of Republicans believe support for unpaid family caregivers is important. (Andrea Piacquadio/Pexels)

NE Area Agencies on Aging support caregivers

November is National Family Caregivers Month, and many of the 200,000 Nebraskans who help care for loved ones with a health issue or disability could …

According to the Anti-Defamation League, there were 356 reported anti-LGBTQ hate incidents between June 2022 and April 2023. They

Survey: LGBTQ Youth Affected by Drumbeat of 'Anti-' Policy Coverage

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer youths in Nebraska and across the country are exposed to a steady stream of news about anti-LGBTQ …

The percentage of Nebraska children living in single-parent households has fluctuated between 28% and 30% since 2011. (Jacob Lund/Adobe Stock)

Despite #1 Rank for 'Economic Well-Being,' NE Parents Struggle

Nebraska children rank first in the nation for economic well-being in the Annie E. Casey Foundation's 2023 Kids Count Data Book, and eighth for …

An aerial view of Roca, Neb. Some 37% percent of Nebraska's rural hospitals have lost some services, according to the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform. (Jacob/Adobe Stock)

Rural Nebraska Faces Outsized Impact of Governor's Budget Vetoes

Rural Nebraska could lose on two fronts if two of Gov. Jim Pillen's budget vetoes are allowed to stand. Pillen struck down a second year of …

The Center for Budget and Policy Priorities said the

Medicaid 'Unwinding' Underway; DHHS Needs Up-to-Date Contact Info

Tens of thousands of Nebraskans receiving Medicaid benefits may lose them over the upcoming year. With the COVID-19 public health emergency ending…

The ACLU is currently tracking 321 anti-LGBTQIA legislative bills across the country. It includes four advancing in the Nebraska Legislature, which the ACLU puts in the categories of free speech and expression, health care, schools and education, and civil rights. (Adobe Stock)

For LGBTQIA Youth, Support Can Be 'Literally Life-Saving'

Teen suicide is the second-leading cause of death in the 15-24 age group in this country, and young people who identify as LGBTQIA are at greater …

One study estimates tens of billions of dollars a year could be saved if 30% to 40% of specialist visits were conducted via telehealth. (Adobe Stock)

Telehealth Serves Rural Nebraskans in Multiple Ways

Telehealth delivery of medical care has grown considerably since the start of the pandemic, and although its use has leveled off, Nebraskans are …

Western Nebraska is home to food deserts, where there is no easy way to get good, healthy food regularly, which disproportionately impact seniors in rural areas. (Adobe Stock)

Reimagining Ways to Get Struggling Nebraska Families Back on Track

With a new legislative session on the horizon and new legislators after the November elections, the Coalition for a Strong Nebraska is bringing …

The U.S. Department of Agriculture offers training for military veterans, and has grant programs available to help purchase and develop land and facilities, as well as equipment and supplies.<br />(Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Military Veterans Wanted for Service in Ag Industry

This winter, military veterans will have an opportunity to translate hard-won skills on the battlefield into Nebraska's fields and pastures through …

Children of color are more likely than white kids to experience the death of a parent, as are children living in rural areas. (Adobe Stock)

Conference on Grieving in Lincoln to Focus on Supporting Kids

Nebraska is one of six states participating in "No Child Grieves Alone," a series of regional conferences aiming to help communities recover after the…

Nebraska taxpayers are on the hook for more than $38,000 a year for every person serving time in the state's prison system. (Adobe Stock)

Nebraska's Prison Overcrowding Emergency Now in Third Year

Nebraska is now in year three of a prison overcrowding emergency, according to the latest numbers released by the Nebraska Department of Correctional …

Loss of rural populations to urban centers has caused many hospitals in Nebraska to reconfigure their budgets. (Adobe Stock)

Keys to Keeping Nebraska's Rural Hospital Doors Open

Without federal intervention, a new report warns, rural hospitals across the United States, including many in Nebraska, could be forced to reduce …

Eight in 10 Nebraska voters support increasing funding for the respite care program which provides short-term help from a home health aide or adult day-care program so family caregivers can take a break. (Adobe Stock)<br />

Nebraska Lawmakers Urged to Support Family Caregivers

The strain of unpaid family care-giving is pressing down hard on many Nebraska residents, according to new AARP research. Nearly half of people …

Children who have access to good early childhood education are far less likely to go to prison, while children of those incarcerated are far more likely to end up in the criminal-justice system. (Adobe Stock)

$240 Million Prison Project Draws Criticism

Critics of Gov. Pete Ricketts' call for the Nebraska Legislature to fund a new prison argue the money would be better invested in programs with …

Between two and four years after aging out of foster care, 46% of young people had not finished high school, 51% were unemployed and 84% became parents. (Adobe Stock)

Resources for Foster Youths During Holidays

OMAHA, Neb. -- Some 24,000 teenagers in foster care across the nation officially become adults each year; in Nebraska it happens on their 19th …

Only 20% of kids nationwide are physically active for at least 60 minutes a day, according to a new United Health Foundation report. (Drazen/Adobe Stock)

Nebraska Women, Children Report More Anxiety, Mental Distress

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Women and young people have been facing increased behavioral-health challenges since before the pandemic, according to a new report …

Cognitive behavioral therapy can help identify and overcome cognitive distortions and replace them with new, more helpful thoughts. (Adobe Stock)

Tips to Avoid Common “Thinking Traps” While Adjusting to College Life

LINCOLN, Neb. -- As young adults across Nebraska leave home for college, psychologists are offering tips to avoid falling into common "thinking …

Permanently expanding the Child Tax Credit is projected to lift as many as half of the nation's children in low-income families out of poverty. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Nebraska's Families of Color Hit Hardest by Pandemic

LINCOLN, Neb. -- Nebraska as a whole is performing well for families with children, ranked seventh in the nation overall, according to the Annie E…

Research has shown a strong connection between time spent in nature and reduced stress, anxiety and depression. (Pixabay)

Survey Snapshot: Women Managing Loneliness After Age 50

LINCOLN, Neb. -- A new survey of women aged fifty and older found lockdowns and social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic have amplified …

Advocates want lawmakers to prioritize children's physical and mental health by guaranteeing that COVID vaccines will be available without cost. (Pixabay)

Nebraska Children, Families Continue to Struggle with COVID Recovery

OMAHA, Neb. -- Families in Nebraska are struggling to meet their basic needs during the coronavirus pandemic, according to a new Annie E. Casey …

Men are twice as likely as women to binge drink and use illicit drugs at more than double the rate of women. (Pixabay)

Men's Health Issues Linked to Challenges Seeking Help

LINCOLN, Neb. -- With Men's Health Month drawing to a close, Nebraska physicians are underscoring the need for men of all ages to seek regular …

A new online anti-racist toolkit includes tips for advocating while practicing safe social distancing, and from the comfort of your couch. (Becker1999/Wikimedia Commons)

Nebraska Black Leaders Launch Anti-Racism Toolkit

LINCOLN, Neb. -- With demonstrations sparked by the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer well into their second week, civic …

It's estimated that every year, 218,000 young people are admitted to detention facilities nationwide.(Pixabay)

Coronavirus Emergency Linked to Fewer Nebraska Youths in Detention

RALSTON, Neb. -- As the COVID-19 pandemic spread across the country, the number of young people being held in juvenile detention dropped …

Nebraska increased funding for corrections by 290% between 1985 and 2016, outpacing other state investments like higher education, which grew by just 57% in the same time period. (Pxfuel)

Alternatives to NE 'Building Its Way Out' of Prison Overcrowding

LINCOLN, Neb. -- As Nebraska lawmakers consider a proposal to build a new prison to address the state's overcrowded corrections population, reform …

Nebraska's prison population is currently at nearly 160% of capacity, making the state the second most overcrowded in the nation. (California Department of Corrections/Wikimedia Commons)

Critics Challenge Proposal to Build New Private Prison

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The Nebraska Department of Correctional Services has announced that it will consider plans to build a 1,600 bed private prison to …

A recent study by the Food and Drug Administration found that a quarter of all high school students used e-cigarettes in 2019, up five percentage points from last year. (Vaping 360/Flickr)

Evidence Mounts E-Cigarettes Not Healthy Alternative

LINCOLN, Neb. – In the wake of recent reports of fatal lung illness connected with the use of e-cigarettes, including a Douglas County resident …

Studies show that unaddressed bullying can lead affected students to have poorer academic performance, miss or drop out of school, turn to alcohol or other drugs, and even attempt suicide. (Pixabay)

Report: Nebraska Can Do More to Stop Bullying

LINCOLN, Neb. — October is national Bullying Prevention Month, and a new ACLU Nebraska report shows the problem continues to impact too many of …

In 2017, 546 Nebraska children were adopted from foster care. The average length of time spent in foster care before adoption was just over 31 months. (Pixabay)

Children's Advocates Tap Big Data for Lawmakers in Washington

LINCOLN, Neb. – Officials from child welfare agencies in Nebraska and across the country are headed to Washington this month to exchange hard-…

Studies show that people who struggle with depression during the winter months sometimes can improve their symptoms with frequent exposure to bright light or sunshine. (Pixabay)

Tips for Coping with Depression During Holidays

LINCOLN, Neb. – While many people look forward to holiday festivities with friends and family, for others this time of year can intensify …

Some Nebraska families are just a couple of paychecks away from facing challenges associated with homelessness. (Don Hankins/Flickr)

Memorials Set for Homeless Lost in 2018

OMAHA, Neb. — Services are planned this week to honor 87 people, including 11 veterans, who died this year while experiencing homelessness in …

Immigrants applying for SNAP benefits for their U.S. citizen children do not have to provide agencies with their personal immigration status. (Public Domain Pictures)

"Public Charge" Proposal Already Affecting Nebraska Kids

OMAHA, Neb. – With a Dec. 10 deadline for public comments just around the corner, immigrants' rights groups say they're hoping Nebraskans will …

During Children's Health Month, parents are encouraged to get kids tested for lead levels, test homes for radon, and dress kids in pants and long sleeves to reduce exposure to ticks that can carry Lyme disease. (U.S. Army)

Spotlight on Mental Wellness During National Children's Health Month

OMAHA, Neb. – October is Children's Health Month, and with the new school year just underway, Nebraska Children's Home Society is encouraging …

Proponents of restorative justice classes say by hearing directly from victims, people who commit crimes can better understand the scale of the harm they have caused. (Bimblebury/Wikimedia Commons)

Restorative Justice Class Cuts Costs of Incarceration

LINCOLN, Neb. – An outside-the-box approach to criminal justice in Nebraska is helping decrease the chance of formerly incarcerated people …

The Human Rights Campaign says policies that promote an inclusive school atmosphere are key to protecting LGBTQ teens' well-being. (Wikimedia Commons)

Advocates Urge Lawmakers to Prevent Bullying LGBTQ Youth

LINCOLN, Neb. -- A new survey shows high rates of depression and anxiety among LGBTQ teens nationwide. Advocates say lawmakers could do more to …

Some rural Nebraska school districts don't have easy access to supportive services that can help students struggling with mental illness. (Pixabay)

Student Mental Health at Heart of Legislative Debate Today

LINCOLN Neb. – Nebraska lawmakers will discuss legislation Friday that backers say could help students struggling with behavioral and mental …

Experts say striving for the perfect holiday can leave people feeling overburdened and defeated (Pixabay)

Having a Blue Christmas? Tips to Manage Holiday Stress

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The shopping, decorations, baking and parties during the holiday season can leave some folks feeling more misery than merriment…

Lawsuit Challenges Overcrowding in State Prisons

LINCOLN, Neb. – A coalition is seeking class-action status for a lawsuit to end overcrowding in Nebraska prisons. At nearly 160 percent of …

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NE: Mental Health