skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Lebanese children have been displaced; hospital facility fees have cost Colorado patients $13 billion; and a Wyoming county without a hospital is finally getting one.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas warns about false claims affecting FEMA's hurricane relief, Vice President Harris prepares for a Fox News interview, and local Democrats want more election funds in key states.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Hurricane Helene devastated the Appalachians and some rural towns worry larger communities could get more attention, ranked choice voting on the Oregon ballot next month gets mixed reviews, and New York farmers are earning extra money feeding school kids.

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

play audio
Play

Thursday, March 28, 2024   

A 2023 study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center concluded the number of Nebraskans with a mental health or substance abuse disorder has probably increased over the pre-pandemic level of 20%. It also observed 88 of Nebraska's 93 counties have a shortage of behavioral health professionals.

Nonetheless, the state budget now awaiting Gov. Jim Pillen's signature cuts $15 million from the Division of Behavioral Health's funding for the state's six Behavioral Health Regions, which distribute those funds to providers. Many advocates believe the cut is based on an incorrect conclusion.

Annette Dubas, executive director of the Nebraska Association of Behavioral Health Organizations, said because $15 million remained in the budget for the Regions, it was concluded the money was not needed. In fact, she said much of it was for projects and proposals awaiting Department of Health and Human Services approval.

"The problem is not that it's not needed; there's a problem with getting it out the door and into services quickly," Dubas explained. "Because we know the demand is there. And if it's not being spent, let's figure out why. That's what we want the governor to sit down and talk to us about, so we can figure out where the holdups are."

The $15 million will be shifted to the Lincoln Regional Center for hiring nurses and other staff. Dubas questioned how realistic it is for the center to spend this amount of money on staffing, especially when the state is facing a nursing shortage of more than 5,000 by 2025. She also questioned what will happen to any money left unspent.

Dubas stressed the Division of Behavioral Health is not the only agency losing money through this budget process.

"This administration has gone into a lot of different funds, cash funds, etc., and kind of swept out money that they perceive is not being used or is not being spent, to use to help with their property tax relief," Dubas asserted.

The Pillen administration is paying Epiphany Associates from Utah $2.5 million annually for up to four years, to find savings of up to 25% across state agency budgets.

Chase Francl, CEO of the Mid-Plains Center for Behavioral Health, which receives about 40% of its funding from Region III, said cutting programs that save the state money cannot be considered cutting "waste."

"Mental health and substance use treatment really is a prevention service," Francl contended. "If we can get this right, then people are going back to work and maybe aren't ending up in corrections. And you start restricting here, you usually are just going to be creating a greater need for more costly services down the road."

Mid-Plains served 3,200 people in Grand Island, Kearney and Lincoln last year. Francl added they currently have about 60 people on a waitlist for therapy services.


get more stories like this via email

more stories
The Florida Association of Community Health Centers has a Disaster Relief Fund, which raises money to assist health center staff and their families in recovering from the devastation of hurricanes Helene and Milton. (Pixabay)

Health and Wellness

play sound

Following Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton left a trail of destruction across the Sunshine State and the combination has pushed some Community …


Social Issues

play sound

OutNebraska's Prairie Pride Film Festival returns for its 14th year this week. Johnny Redd, communications manager for OutNebraska, said the …

Health and Wellness

play sound

"Facility fees" originally meant to help struggling hospitals keep emergency room doors open 24 hours a day are now being applied to outpatient servic…


Health and Wellness

play sound

By Sarah Jane Tribble for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Wyoming News Service reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News…

Though a Marist poll found 81% of New York City residents do not want Mayor Eric Adams to run again, campaign finance data show he has the most spending capital of all 2025 mayoral candidates. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

New York City election integrity is under added scrutiny after Mayor Eric Adams' indictment. Part of the indictment alleges Adams broke campaign …

Health and Wellness

play sound

Providence Health and Services could close an at-home program enabling communication by people with diseases making it hard or impossible to speak…

Social Issues

play sound

In-person early voting begins next week in Wisconsin, which will again be in the spotlight when election results come into focus. Officials said …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021