Bill > LB454

This bill modifies provisions related to regional behavioral health authorities (RBHAs) and the Behavioral Health Services Fund in Nebraska. The first section updates rules for RBHAs, specifically allowing new behavioral health services providers to offer or expand services if they meet certain enrollment standards, are contracted with a regional authority, and receive departmental approval. It also maintains existing requirements for RBHAs to develop and coordinate publicly funded behavioral health services, including creating fee policies, submitting budgets, and ensuring uniform service provision. The second section expands the Behavioral Health Services Fund's scope by adding substance abuse disorder to housing-related assistance eligibility, which previously only covered adults with serious mental illness. The fund can now help very low-income adults with either serious mental illness or substance abuse disorder obtain housing-related assistance, such as rental payments, utility deposits, and landlord risk mitigation payments. The bill clarifies definitions of key terms like "housing-related assistance" and "very low-income" and allows the division to distribute excess funds to RBHAs for housing acquisition or rehabilitation. The final section simply repeals the original versions of the modified sections, effectively replacing them with the updated language.

Health and Social Services

https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=58874