Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska

- Programs and Training Overview
- - Lifelong Learning Fund
    BHECN's Lifelong Learning fund supports educational and career engagement opportunities to help grow our state's behavioral health workforce.
  - Graduate Trainee Support Program
    The Graduate Trainee Support Program financially bolsters master's-level students during select advanced practicum or internship experiences.
  - Mentoring Program
    BHECN's mentorship program provides guidance and support to undergraduate and graduate-level students seeking licensed behavioral health careers in Nebraska.
  - BHECN Scholars
    The BHECN Scholars program supports undergraduate seniors who plan to pursue master’s degrees in Nebraska-based behavioral health programs.
- - Project PEACE
    Project PEACE is a series of web-based modules designed to equip primary care providers with skills and knowledge to address behavioral health concerns.
  - Telehealth Training
    Following the COVID-19 pandemic, day-to-day use of telehealth allows people to connect safely and effectively to mental health services no matter where they are located.
- Partnerships Overview
- Nebraska Behavioral Health Education Partnership (NEBHEP)
  BHECN partners with the 20 academic institutions to track the number of graduate-level behavioral health education students graduating and staying in Nebraska.
- Nebraska Behavioral Health Training Partnership
  BHECN establishes partnerships to create and disseminate educational materials for the development of the behavioral health workforce.
- Behavioral Health Workforce Center Alliance
  The Behavioral Health Workforce Center Alliance (BHWCA) is a network of behavioral health workforce development centers from across the United States.
- Advisory Groups
  BHECN’s advisory groups provide input that shapes our work and help us keep up with the latest challenges and issues facing Nebraska’s behavioral health workforce.
- Research, Data & Policy Overview
- Nebraska Behavioral Health Workforce Dashboard
  The dashboard helps policy makers, employers, and behavioral health care stakeholders understand the state of the behavioral health workforce.
- Workforce Report and Data Snapshots
  Read our latest report about the Nebraska behavioral health workforce and access data snapshots that explore the workforce in greater detail.
- Legislative Reports
  BHECN's biennial legislative reports examine the characteristics of actively practicing behavioral health providers in Nebraska.
- ARPA
  Access information related BHECN’s allocation of $25.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) dollars to Nebraska behavioral health providers.
- BHECN's Published Research
  See a listing of BHECN's published research.
- BHECN Sites Overview
- BHECN Panhandle
  Our BHECN Panhandle site supports our mission of recruitment and retention of behavioral health professionals in Western Nebraska.
- BHECN Central
  BHECN Central is a remote site for training and workforce development at the University of Nebraska Kearney that serves the central part of the state.
- BHECN Northeast
  BHECN Northeast is a remote site based at Wayne State College that facilitates training and workforce development in Northeast Nebraska.
- BHECN East
  BHECN East is located at the UNO Grace Abbott School of Social Work and focuses primarily on the behavioral health workforce needs of the Omaha area.
- BHECN Southwest
  BHECN Southwest is a remote site based in North Platte that facilitates training and workforce development in Southwest Nebraska.
- BHECN Southeast
  BHECN Southeast is headquartered at Region 5 Systems and focuses on meeting the behavioral health workforce needs of Southeast Nebraska.
The Nebraska Model

Developing Nebraska's behavioral health workforce

BHECN was created by the Nebraska Legislature in 2009 and housed at UNMC. BHECN was charged with leading state behavioral health workforce development efforts including the recruitment, training and retention of behavioral health workers.

BHECN’s work is more important than ever as the state faces a critical shortage of behavioral health workers at a time when -- thanks in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic -- the need for behavioral health care is higher than it has ever been.

BHECN team members

Pathways toward a career in behavioral health

Read a brochure and watch videos that explore the various career paths you can take to become a behavioral health professional in the state of Nebraska.

A behavioral health student.

02-01-2026 - 02-15-2026

Lifelong Learning Fund Application Cycle

All Day

Statewide

03-10-2026 - 04-10-2026

Graduate Trainee Support Program Application Cycle

All Day

Statewide

04-24-2026

Behavioral Health Workforce Partners Conference

All Day

Embassy Suites, Downtown Omaha

Cover of BHECN's 2024-2025 Legislative Report

News

BHECN's 2024-2025 Legislative Report explores the power of connection in behavioral health

Check out BHECN's 2024-2025 Legislative Report.

Luz Colon-Rodriguez and Stephaine Morse

News

BHECN names new Central and Southwest site directors

Read about BHECN's new site directors Luz Colon-Rodriguez and Stephaine Morse.

Drs. Marley Doyle and Melissa Tibbitts

News

BHECN report gives view into behavioral health workforce

Read about the The Licensed Behavioral Health Workforce Report 2025.

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