Bill > LB386

This bill introduces the Regional Mental Health Expansion Pilot Program Act, which aims to address mental health challenges in Nebraska, particularly in rural areas. The bill creates a pilot program managed by the Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice to fund a county law enforcement agency in expanding mental health beds and regional cooperation. The selected county must have an existing jail facility with capacity to add mental health beds, a history of inter-agency cooperation, and provide an assessment of regional impact. The program is explicitly not intended to criminalize mental health issues, but rather to expand mental health services for individuals temporarily in custody. The bill also makes several significant changes to mental health and sex offender commitment laws, including allowing videoconferencing for mental health hearings, evaluations, and proceedings, and permitting certain individuals to be held in jail with mental health beds under specific circumstances. The legislation recognizes the current challenges in Nebraska's mental health system, such as shortages of mental health professionals and long travel distances to care, and seeks to provide innovative solutions that reduce the burden on law enforcement and improve mental health service delivery, especially in rural areas.

Justice

https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58792