This is an official message from BHECN using a third-party service.

If you're seeing a warning above it is the result of enhanced IT security within the University of Nebraska.

May - 2024

When he was the leader of the Nebraska Legislature’s budget-writing Appropriations Committee, former Sen. John Stinner (pictured top row, left) held a uniquely powerful post that allowed him to help direct how state tax dollars were invested.

In that role, the lawmaker from Gering proved to be a powerful champion for behavioral health, said Erin Schneider, EdD, deputy director of the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska at UNMC. 

“Sen. Stinner often worked directly to ensure the state budget included strong funding for key behavioral health issues,” Dr. Schneider said.

Two examples of Sen. Stinner’s behavioral health advocacy occurred in 2022, his last in the legislature, when he worked to:

• Increase BHECN’s annual operating budget; and
• Allocate $25.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to BHECN to distribute to organizations throughout the state to address Nebraska’s behavioral health workforce shortage and behavioral health issues that arose during the COVID-19 pandemic.

As thanks for his efforts to advance behavioral health care, BHECN presented Stinner with the 2023 BHECN Distinguished Service Award on April 16 during the organization’s annual awards dinner in Omaha.

The Distinguished Service Award is the highest honor bestowed by BHECN and is presented to individuals who provide inspirational leadership, service, advocacy and heart in support of behavioral health workforce development in Nebraska.

“Sen. Stinner deeply understands the importance of behavioral health care and its impact on the state as a whole,” BHECN Director Marley Doyle, MD, said. “This understanding allowed him to make vital contributions that will improve the health and wellbeing for many Nebraskans for years to come.”

Four others received awards at the dinner including:

• Robin Conyers and Cecilia Poon, PhD, who received the 2023 Ambassador Award. Conyers (bottom row, right) is vice president of behavioral services for CHI Health/Central Division of CommonSpirit Health. Dr. Poon (bottom row, left) is a staff psychologist in the Nebraska Medicine Department of Psychology, training director of the Clinical Health Psychology Pre-Doctoral Internship at Nebraska Medicine and adjunct assistant professor in the UNMC Department of Psychiatry. The award recognizes individuals for outstanding efforts in mentoring the future behavioral health workforce in Nebraska.
• Kenton Shaffer, MD, (top row, right) a retired pediatrician from Kearney, received the BHECN Champion Award, which recognizes outstanding service and outreach to the behavioral health community by a student, trainee or health care professional.
• Laurie Halpenny (bottom row, center) of Omaha – who has long advocated for children with developmental disabilities – received the BHECN Courage Award. The award recognizes outstanding service and outreach to the behavioral health community by a consumer of behavioral health services or a family member.

Read more about our awardees.

In each BHECN newsletter, we will feature a member of the BHECN team to help you get to know our team better.

In this month's profile, we

feature Keith Anderson, who is a financial analyst at BHECN.

In this position, Keith, a native of McPherson, Kan., is responsible for collecting and maintaining

BHECN-specific data from internal and external sources necessary for department

projects, reports, and functions. He also performs the day-to-day processing

and tracking of expenditures and grants to ensure BHECN's budget remains in

compliance.

“Keith has done an excellent job for BHECN for many years by helping make payments, track financial expenses, reconcile accounts, organize contracts, and more,” said Ryan Cordts, BHECN’s Administrator II, who is Keith’s supervisor. “Keith is essential to the operations team, and we are fortunate to have him. Keith is welcoming and always helpful when he is asked questions or someone needs guidance on financial or contractual questions.”

Below we learn more about Keith.

When did you start at BHECN?

I started at BHECN in November 2012, three years after BHECN was first formed.

What do you like most about working at BHECN?

Working at BHECN is very fulfilling for me. First, BHECN’s mission to increase behavioral health access across the state of Nebraska is so critical. Access shortages in rural areas are an increasing problem. Other states have recognized the importance of what BHECN does and are working on similar programs.

Second, I love my job as a Financial Analyst. I have a strong background in contracts and mathematics and this position is a perfect fit for me. In fact, I worked as a contracts specialist for seven years while in the U.S. Air Force. Spreadsheets and numbers are definitely my forte!

Third, my coworkers and the close partners of BHECN are second to none. I have made lifelong friendships at BHECN and couldn’t imagine working anywhere else.

What do you do for fun in your off time?

I have several hobbies I like to do in my spare time. I have a Can-Am off-road vehicle and hundreds of miles of trails to explore near my home. I also like to ride my motorcycle and bicycle. Hiking and looking at all the unbelievably beautiful scenery around southern Utah and northern Arizona will never get old and keeps me in shape.

Learn more about Keith here!

The application cycle for the BHECN Scholars program – formerly known as the Behavioral Health Opportunities Program – or BHOP -- is now open. The application cycle will close June 19. Successful applicants will be notified about their awards in July with a kick-off event to be held in August.  

BHECN Scholars is a pathway program that supports undergraduate seniors who plan to pursue their master’s degree in a Nebraska-based behavioral health program following graduation. Scholars will receive tuition support, mentorship and professional development, and participate in social and learning opportunities built around a cohort model.  

The program's purpose is to recruit regionally and culturally diverse students into the behavioral health workforce and ensure their success as practicing, licensed professionals in Nebraska. The program is expanding to other higher-education institutions after a successful pilot year at the University of Nebraska Kearney.  

“We’re excited to expand this program statewide after it proved to be successful at UNK,” said Kati Cordts, PhD, Associate Director of Education and Training at BHECN. “We feel this program will be a powerful tool in helping grow Nebraska’s behavioral health workforce.”   

Scholars selected for the program will receive a one-time $5,000 payment in Fall 2024. Funding will be distributed to the Scholar and can be used to support tuition and other educational expenses.  

In addition to financial support, Scholars will have unique access to specialized programming designed to enhance their professional development, including assistance with graduate school applications (including a letter of recommendation), engagement in BHECN-sponsored activities, and sponsorship for regional educational conferences. 

Learn more about the BHECN Scholars program – including how to apply – here. 

More Nebraska graduate students will get experience working in school-based mental health thanks to a a new partnership between BHECN and the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO).

The pilot program, which is supported by $1 million from the CDC Foundation and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, will result in approximately 25 UNO graduate behavioral health students receiving internships in Omaha-area public schools starting this month.

The goal of the project is to get more people interested and ultimately working in this critical area of behavioral health care, said Kati Cordts, PhD, Associate Director of Education and Training at BHECN, who will help oversee the project along with BHECN Deputy Director Erin O. Schneider, EdD.

“Our schools are truly a front line in our efforts to improve behavioral health in Nebraska, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. Cordts said. “We are excited to launch this project and provide needed support in this crucial arena of behavioral health.”

BHECN will provide infrastructure and support the training and supervision needs of the graduate students in schools.

Along with placing graduate students in schools, the contract also will allow BHECN and UNO to sponsor 10 students to attend the upcoming Middle America School Mental Health Conference and Nebraska School Mental Health Conference at the end of May. 

“Many behavioral health graduate students are interested in working in our schools and this program can help some move toward forging careers that will allow them to provide powerful support for our school children,” Dr. Schneider said. 

Lutheran Family Services has designed and released an online course titled “Working with Newcomers” to help health care providers care for refugees.

The course – which is presented by Katherine Saaid, Refugee Wellness Program Coordinator at Lutheran Family Services -- explores essential topics such as:

• Understanding the resettlement process for refugees;
• Trauma;
• Barriers to care;
• Worldview cultural differences;
• English as a Learned Language (ELL); and
• Invaluable tips for effectively engaging with refugee populations.

Access the course here.

BHECN has several online training opportunities

See our offerings here!

Visit NEBHjobs.com today to view resumes or job openings currently available.

List your resume or job opening for FREE on NEBHjobs.com, the behavioral health, Nebraska-focused jobs website.

It's FREE!

Visit NEBHjobs.com

 402.552.7697 | bhecn@unmc.edu