Task Force, Committees, and Professional Organizations

Children’s Behavioral Health Task Force

The passage of LB 542, a legislative bill introduced by Senator John Synowiecki in 2007, created the Children’s Behavioral Health Task Force. The legislation charged the Task Force with preparing a Children’s Behavioral Health Plan, overseeing implementation of such plan, and further revised previous statutes related to the evaluation and treatment procedures at the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center – Kearney (YRTC-K) and at the Youth Rehabilitation and Treatment Center – Geneva (YRTC-G).

Legislation established that the Task Force be composed of twelve members. These members include:

• Chairperson of the Health and Human Services Committee of the Legislature or their designee
• Chairperson of the Appropriations Committee of the Legislature or their designee
• Chairperson of the Behavioral Health Oversight Commission of the Legislature

Other currently appointed members include:

• Scot Adams, Division of Behavioral Health Services Director
• Beth Baxter, Region 3 Administrator
• Juvenile Court Judge Elizabeth Crnkovich
• Ruth Henrichs, Lutheran Family Services CEO
• Candy Kennedy, Nebraska Federation of Families Executive Director
• Todd Landry, Division of Children and Family Services Director
• Tom McBride, Epworth Village Executive Director
• Kathy Moore, Voices for Children Executive Director
• Terri Nutzman, Office of Juvenile Services (OJS) Administrator

These twelve members began meeting in July of 2007 and developed 16 recommendations. The recommendations focused on five areas as mandated by LB 542. Areas include:

1. A statewide integrated system of care for children and families; including an integrated and comprehensive data and information system
2. Service capacity, including YRTC youth and services provided under Neb. Rev. Stat. 43-406(4)
3. Funding
4. Benchmarks and timelines
5. Legislation

Included in the recommendations specifically was the discontinuation of services at the Hastings Regional Center and transferring such services to community providers, better funding children’s behavioral health services, and adopting legislation that puts insurance coverage of behavioral health treatments on par with coverage of general medical conditions.

The full list of recommendations was submitted to Governor Dave Heineman in December of 2007. The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) responded to the recommendations with an implementation and appropriations plan entitled, Creating Change and Providing Hope for Nebraska’s Children, Adolescents, and Their Families, in January of 2008. The plan can be accessed from the Department of Health and Human Services website at http://www.dhhs.ne.gov/Behavioral_Health.

The key elements and action steps included in the Department’s plan address:

• Uniform assessment process
• Balanced array of services
• Accessible services
• Strategic use of evidence-based practices
• Strengthened training to behavioral health workforce
• Ensured cultural and linguistic competence at all levels of practice
• Coordinated responses for families involved in multiple systems
• Focus on community based services
• Development of a highly secure facility to serve violent juvenile offenders

As designated by LB542, the Children’s Behavioral Health Task Force will oversee implementation of this plan until June 30, 2010. Furthermore, LB542 states that the chairperson of the Health and Human Services Committee of the Legislature shall prepare legislation or amendments to legislation to implement the plan for introduction in the legislative session.

The goal of the task force is to provide the Legislature with the information necessary to make informed decisions regarding the future of behavioral health care for children and their families.