Since 2010, Nebraska has experienced a notable 17% increase in its behavioral health workforce. This growth, while impressive, isn’t an accident. The key catalyst behind this transformation has been the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN), established by the state legislature in 2009. The center was created in response to a critical shortage of behavioral health professionals and has since played a pivotal role in addressing this issue. By providing targeted education, training, and support, BHECN has significantly bolstered the state’s ability to attract and retain professionals in the behavioral health field.
While Nebraska still faces challenges in fully meeting the demand for behavioral health workers, the progress made so far has captured the attention of other states, particularly Illinois, which is looking to implement a similar model. As workforce shortages persist across the nation, the success of BHECN offers a valuable blueprint for states grappling with similar issues.
The Genesis of BHECN: A Strategic Response to Workforce Shortages
Before BHECN was established, Nebraska, like many other states, was experiencing a severe shortage of mental health professionals. Behavioral health issues—ranging from mental illness to substance abuse—were on the rise, but the state’s capacity to meet these needs was constrained by a lack of qualified workers. This shortage was particularly acute in rural areas, where access to care was limited, and patients were often left waiting for critical services.
Recognizing this challenge, the Nebraska state legislature took action in 2009 by creating BHECN. The center’s primary mission was twofold: first, to increase the number of individuals entering the behavioral health field, and second, to retain them long-term by providing ongoing education and support. These efforts aimed to address the growing behavioral health crisis while also ensuring that individuals in the field were equipped with the latest skills and knowledge to effectively support patients.
BHECN, which operates under the umbrella of the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), focuses on enhancing the education and training of behavioral health students and professionals. The center offers a variety of programs, including workshops, telehealth training, and curriculum development for both students and practicing professionals. By equipping workers with the tools they need to succeed, BHECN is helping to keep them in the field longer and reducing the turnover that often plagues the sector.
Impressive Workforce Gains: A Closer Look at the Numbers
Since its inception, BHECN has made significant strides in increasing Nebraska’s behavioral health workforce. The most striking statistic is the 59% increase in advanced practice psychiatric nurses and the 67% increase in physician assistants within the state. These numbers reflect a concerted effort to not only increase the number of workers in these high-demand fields but also to ensure that they are adequately trained and prepared for the challenges they will face.
One of the key factors behind these gains has been BHECN’s focus on innovative training methods. The center has embraced emerging trends such as telehealth to expand access to care, particularly in rural areas. Telehealth allows behavioral health professionals to provide services to patients without the need for in-person visits, a solution that is particularly beneficial for individuals in remote areas where providers are scarce. Additionally, BHECN has worked to integrate behavioral health services into primary care settings, further expanding access to care.
In partnership with the Munroe-Meyer Institute (MMI), BHECN has also established 43 integrated behavioral health-primary care clinics across Nebraska. These clinics, 25 of which are located in rural areas, not only provide direct services to patients but also serve as training sites for behavioral health interns. By offering hands-on experience in these clinics, BHECN is creating a pipeline of trained professionals who are familiar with the challenges of rural healthcare and are more likely to remain in these underserved areas after graduation.
Persistent Gaps: The Work Is Far from Done
Despite these impressive gains, Nebraska’s behavioral health workforce is still far from meeting the full demand. While there have been significant increases in certain areas, such as advanced practice psychiatric nurses and physician assistants, there have been declines in other areas. For example, the number of psychiatrists in Nebraska has decreased by 6% since 2010, while the number of addiction counselors has dropped by 20%. These shortages remain particularly severe in rural areas, where the demand for services is high, but the supply of trained professionals is insufficient to meet that demand.
BHECN’s director, Marley Doyle, has acknowledged that while the center’s efforts have been successful, the work is not yet complete. According to Doyle, “It’s still not enough to meet the needs,” and there is a continued need for growth in all categories of behavioral health professionals. This ongoing challenge highlights the need for continued investment in workforce development and the expansion of training programs that can prepare more individuals for careers in behavioral health.
Nebraska’s Model Captures National Attention
Nebraska’s success in increasing its behavioral health workforce has not gone unnoticed. Other states struggling with similar workforce shortages are beginning to take note of BHECN’s achievements and explore ways to replicate its success.
Illinois, for example, has taken steps toward creating its own behavioral health workforce education center. In 2024, Illinois legislators passed a bill to establish the Illinois Behavioral Health Workforce Education Center Task Force, which has spent months researching how to develop a center modeled after BHECN. The task force’s findings are expected to recommend the establishment of a similar center in Illinois, which could help address the state’s own behavioral health workforce shortages.
The Illinois task force has highlighted several benefits that such a center could bring to the state, including better data collection on the workforce, improved access to care in rural and underserved communities, and the promotion of integrated care models. By adopting the lessons learned from Nebraska’s experience, Illinois hopes to strengthen its own behavioral health workforce and improve access to care for its residents.
Challenges and Opportunities Nationwide
Nebraska’s progress in increasing its behavioral health workforce is particularly noteworthy given the national context. Behavioral health workforce shortages are not unique to Nebraska; they are a nationwide issue. According to projections from the National Council for Behavioral Health, by 2025, the United States could be short by more than 250,000 full-time behavioral health professionals. This shortage is compounded by increasing demand for services, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated mental health and substance abuse issues.
As states like Illinois look to replicate Nebraska’s success, the question remains: can other states follow suit and address their own workforce shortages in the same way? The answer lies in a combination of strategic planning, investment in education and training, and collaboration between state governments, educational institutions, and healthcare providers. Nebraska’s experience provides a hopeful blueprint for other states, but it also underscores the need for continued investment and innovation to address the growing behavioral health crisis nationwide.
Conclusion: A Bright Future for Behavioral Health Workforce Development
Nebraska’s efforts to increase its behavioral health workforce over the past decade are a shining example of what can be achieved with targeted investment and strategic planning. While challenges remain, BHECN’s success has proven that it is possible to significantly increase the number of qualified behavioral health professionals and improve access to care, especially in rural areas. As other states, like Illinois, explore similar models, the lessons learned from Nebraska’s experience will continue to shape the future of behavioral health workforce development across the nation.
The road ahead may still be long, but thanks to the work of BHECN and the collaborative efforts of communities, educational institutions, and state agencies, the future of behavioral health care in Nebraska and beyond is looking brighter than ever.
