How BHECN sites help meet local behavioral health needs

The challenges facing Nebraska’s behavioral health workforce can vary widely depending on where providers, students and trainees live and work.

The Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN) operates six sites—one in each of the state’s behavioral health regions—to better understand and respond to those differences. Through local partnerships, the sites provide education, training, networking and other support tailored to the needs of their communities.

“BHECN’s sites allow us to listen to the people who live and work in each region and respond to their specific behavioral health workforce needs,” said Alyssa Spartz, BHECN Workforce Expansion Manager. “By combining local knowledge and partnerships with BHECN’s statewide resources, we can provide training, education and support that are meaningful to each community.”

Workforce needs vary by region

Each region has its own behavioral health workforce challenges and opportunities.
In northeast Nebraska, for example, many behavioral health providers practice within a tri-state area that includes Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. These providers may encounter complex licensure and telehealth requirements when serving clients across state lines.

“Given the unique challenge that many providers in our region face, a major focus for BHECN Northeast is providing training and other resources to help providers maintain licensure so they can continue to serve Nebraska residents,” said Ciera Afrank of BHECN Northeast.

Other regions may face different concerns, including limited access to behavioral health training programs, long travel distances, provider shortages or the need to strengthen pathways into behavioral health careers. By working directly with regional partners, each BHECN Site can identify the needs of its communities and develop relevant, practical support.

Local partnerships strengthen the workforce

BHECN Sites bring together students, educators, behavioral health professionals, employers and community organizations. These connections help BHECN support people at every stage of the workforce pathway—from introducing students to behavioral health careers to providing continuing education and professional support for practicing providers.

“Nebraska is a large state with unique geographic considerations, and that means providers, students and trainees face different challenges based on the part of the state in which they live and work,” said BHECN Director Marley Doyle, MD. “Our sites help us better understand those challenges and work alongside local partners to develop solutions that meet each region’s needs.”

Through its six regional sites, BHECN can pair statewide resources with local knowledge, helping build and retain a strong behavioral health workforce throughout Nebraska.