Pettid Named to LB247 Mental Health Crisis Hotline Task Force

LINCOLN, Neb. – Senators on the Nebraska Legislature's Mental Health Crisis Hotline Task Force have selected members of the public to serve as nonvoting members of the Task Force. The Task Force, created through LB247, is charged with developing an implementation plan for Nebraska to integrate and utilize the 988 mental health crisis hotline established pursuant to the federal National Suicide Hotline Designation Act of 2020.

The task force shall identify a method to integrate local mental health crisis hotlines to ensure each individual who accesses a local mental health crisis hotline is connected to a qualified mental or behavioral health professional, regardless of when or where they call in Nebraska.

The task force includes Senators Patty Pansing Brooks and Curt Friesen, who are co-chairing. Senators Elliot Bostar, Tom Brandt and Jen Day were also appointed to the task force.

"The work of this task force is of the utmost importance," Senator Pansing Brooks said. "According to the Center for Disease Control, one person died by suicide every 32 hours in Nebraska in 2018, on average. Suicide is the leading cause of death for people between the age of 10 and 24. Currently many mental health crisis calls go to law enforcement through the 911 line, when what they actually need is urgent mental health assistance. The 988 line will provide an approach to crisis response that channels mental health calls to trained mental health professionals."

"I look forward to working with members of this task force to ensure the Nebraska Legislature is informed and ready to take advantage of the opportunities created through the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act and create a more seamless system for crisis response," Senator Friesen said.

Members of the task force include licensed mental and behavioral health clinicians, mental health care service providers, telecommunications representation, local law enforcement and local elected officials among others. The Task Force will file a report regarding its implementation plan and any recommendations by December 17, 2021.

The Task Force includes the following members:

• Susanna Batterman - Chairperson, Region 1 Behavioral Health Authority

• Karen Bell-Dancy - Executive Director of YWCA Lincoln

• Janet Bock - Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner at Thayer County Health Services

• Elliot Bostar - Senator, District 29

• Mary Ann Borgeson - Douglas County Commissioner

• Tom Brandt - Senator, District 32

• Jen Day - Senator, District 49

• Sheri Dawson - Director of the Division of Behavioral Health at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services

• Ariel Derr - Vice President/COO at Mid-Plains Center for Behavioral Healthcare Services, Inc.

• Tim L. Dolberg - Investigator and Mental Health Coordinator at the Lincoln Police Department

• Annette Dubas - Executive Director of the Nebraska Association of Behavioral Health Organizations

• Curt Friesen - Senator, District 34

• Topher Hansen - President/CEO CenterPointe in Lincoln

• Kiphany Hot - Associate Director and Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner at the University of Nebraska at Kearney Counseling Center

• Kyle Kinney - Program Manager at Boys Town

• Lindsay Kroll- Mental Health Coordinator at the Omaha Police Department

• Jennifer McWilliams - Division Chief of Psychiatry and Medical Director of Virtual Care at Children's Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha

• Kasey Moyer - Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of Nebraska

• Thomas "Tip" O'Neill- President, Nebraska Telecommunications Association

• Patty Pansing Brooks - Senator, District 28

• Cathy Pettid - Assistant Vice Chancellor and Dean of Students at the University of Nebraska at Omaha

• Cullen Robbins - Director of Telecommunications at the Nebraska Public Service Commission

• Kevin Spencer - Chief of Police at Scottsbluff Police Department and President of the Police Chiefs Association of Nebraska

• Christa Yoakum - Lancaster County Commissioner