American Rescue Plan Act Awards

First round grants awarded to 83 projects

The Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska has announced awardees in the first round of its American Rescue Plan Act funding, with grants awarded to 83 projects across the state, totaling $19,566,606. The grant awardees were among nearly 200 applications, and the amount of requested funds totaled more than $49 million across the four award categories, more than double the amount available.

Of the 83 projects selected, 40 (48%) are in metropolitan areas of Nebraska and 43 (52%) are located in rural areas of Nebraska. Percentages were calculated by dividing rurality award amounts by the total anticipated award distribution amount of $19,566,606. 

The Nebraska Legislature allocated more than $25 million in recovery plan funding to BHECN last year to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and the shortage of behavioral health professionals. The funds cover projects in four award categories.

Read about the review process, Round 2 and frequently asked questions.

Awardees and award amounts by category:

Behavioral Health Training and Education Opportunities

Funding to metropolitan organizations: $4,728,186 or 42%.
Funding to rural organizations: $6,622,151 or 58%.

1. Doane University, Crete, rural, $500,000
2. Lutheran Family Services, Omaha, urban, $500,000
3. UNMC – Integrated care at Kearney, Omaha, urban, $492,191
4. UNMC College of Nursing, Omaha, urban, $499,895
5. Chadron State College, Chadron, rural, $490,500
6. Great Plains Health, North Platte, rural, $33,860
7. Silver Sun Mental Health dba Nebraska Mental Health Centers, Lincoln, urban, $500,000
8. Heartland Family Services, Omaha, urban, $491,680
9. Autism Care for Toddlers Clinics, MMI, Omaha, rural, $416,000
10. Northeast Community College, Norfolk, rural, $343,299.05 
11. University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, urban, $500,000
12. University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, urban, $500,000
13. University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, urban, $500,000
14. Restore Rebuild Reconnect Counseling Center, Omaha, urban, $374,934
15. Center for Psychological Services dba Live Well Counseling Center, Kearney, rural, $81,391.92 
16. Options in Psychology LLC, Scottsbluff, rural, $398,401
17. Child and Family Therapy Institute of Nebraska LLC, North Platte, rural, $124,088
18. Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, urban, $500,000
19. Morningstar Counseling and Consultation, Lincoln, urban, $496,681
20. Youth Emergency Services Inc., Omaha, urban, $190,000
21. Western Nebraska Behavioral Health Clinic, Rushville, rural, $438,045
22. CEDARS Youth Services Inc., Lincoln, urban, $254,272
23. HopeSpoke, Lincoln, urban, $499,551
24. Creighton University, Omaha, urban, $499,964
25. Houses of Hope of Nebraska Inc., Lincoln, urban, $45,300
26. Options in Psychology LLC, Scottsbluff, rural, $44,800
27. Options in Psychology, LLC, Scottsbluff, rural, $62,010
28. Western Nebraska Behavioral Health, Rushville, rural, $81,693
29. Heartland Counseling Services Inc., South Sioux City, rural, $496,074.78 
30. Northeast Community College, Norfolk, rural, $499,836.40 
31. Women's Empowering Life Line, Norfolk, rural, $178,656
32. Women's Empowering Life Line, Norfolk, rural, $317,215

Telebehavioral Health in Rural Areas 

Funding to metropolitan organizations: $2,400,478  or 50%.
Funding to rural organizations: $2,374,117. 
All projects have rural components.

1.  Bryan Telemedicine, Omaha, urban, $1,000,000 
2. EVALS BY ECK LLC, Scottsbluff, rural, $59,224.78 
3. Heartland Counseling Services Inc., South Sioux City, rural, $731,339
4. Wholeness Healing Center PC, Grand Island, rural, $121,942.61 
5. Howard County Medical Center, St. Paul, rural, $200,000
6. Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska Inc., Lincoln, urban, $900,478
7. Midwest Encouragement & Counseling Center LLC, Kearney, rural, $63,100
8. Center for Psychological Services PC dba Live Well Counseling Center, Kearney, rural, $73,773.99 
9. Children's Hospital & Medical Center Foundation, Omaha, urban, $500,000
10. Blue Elephant Counseling LLC, Dannebrog, rural, $436,237.03 
11. Quality Healthcare Clinic LLC, Sutton, rural, $688,500

Behavioral Health Workforce COVID-19 Projects

Funding to metropolitan organizations: $985,974 or 55%.
Funding to rural organizations: $804,661 or 45%.

1. University of Nebraska - Lincoln, Lincoln, urban, $80,000
2. Lutheran Family Services, Omaha, urban, $100,000
3. University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, urban, $100,000
4. Chadron State College, Chadron, rural, $100,000
5. Cambridge Memorial Hospital Inc. dba Tri Valley Health System, Cambridge, rural, $35,035
6. Restore Rebuild Reconnect Counseling Center, Omaha, urban, $42,788
7. HopeSpoke, Lincoln, urban, $100,000
8. Wholeness Healing Center PC, Grand Island, rural, $96,406
9. Lincoln/Lancaster County Child Advocacy Center, Lincoln, urban, $17,000
10. Lutheran Family Services, Omaha, urban, $100,000
11. University of Nebraska at Kearney, Kearney, rural, $99,999
12. Miller and Micek Consulting LLC, Wayne, rural, $99,721
13. Scottsbluff Public Schools, Scottsbluff, rural, $100,000
14. Howard County Medical Center, St. Paul, rural, $100,000
15. Wholeness Healing Center PC, Grand Island, rural, $100,000
16. Wholeness Healing Center PC, Grand Island, rural, $73,500 
17. UNMC - Wellness Center, Omaha, urban, $100,000
18. The Bridge Behavioral Health, Lincoln, urban, $99,186
19. Board of Trustees of the Nebraska State Colleges, Lincoln, urban, $47,250
20. Completely KIDS, Omaha, urban, $99,750
21. OneWorld Community Health Centers Inc., Omaha, urban, $100,000

Funding for Supervision of Provisionally Licensed Providers

Funding to metropolitan organizations: $863,953 or 56%.
Funding to rural organizations: $674,378 or 44%.

1. Heartland Counseling Services Inc., South Sioux City, rural, $25,000
2. Heartland Counseling Services Inc., South Sioux City, rural, $100,000
3. Four Corners Health Department, York, rural, $34,803.53 
4. The Bridge Behavioral Health, Lincoln, urban, $100,000
5. Camie L Nitzel, PhD, LP, LLC DBA Kindred Psychology, Lincoln, urban, $99,939
6. Wholeness Healing Center PC, Grand Island, rural, $100,000
7. The Cord: Where Science Meets Connection LLC, Omaha, urban, $100,000
8. AM Counseling and Consulting, Bellevue, urban, $99,354
9. Center for Psychological Services PC dba Live Well Counseling Center, Kearney, micro, $45,000
10. Center for Psychological Services PC dba Live Well Counseling Center, Kearney, micro, $100,000
11. Midwest Encouragement & Counseling Center LLC, Kearney, micro, $31,000
12. Options in Psychology LLC, Scottsbluff, rural, $57,600
13. Restore Rebuild Reconnect Counseling Center, Omaha, urban, $64,660
14. Wholeness Healing Center PC, Grand Island, rural, $99,975
15. Cirrus House Inc., Scottsbluff, rural, $81,000
16. Father Flanagan's Boys' Home, Boys Town, urban, $100,000
17. University of Nebraska at Omaha, urban, $100,000
18. Children's Hospital and Medical Center Foundation, Omaha, urban, $100,000
19. Creative Counseling and Studio LLC, Omaha, urban, $100,000