Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska

- Career Pathways Overview
- - Behavioral Health Career Pathways
    Behavioral health professionals share what is unique about their profession and how it is different from other behavioral health careers.
  - BHECN App
    The BHECN Behavioral Health Mentorship & Supervision App is a resource for anyone interested in behavioral health careers in Nebraska.
- - Lifelong Learning Fund
    BHECN's Lifelong Learning fund supports educational and career engagement opportunities to help grow our state's behavioral health workforce.
  - BHECN Scholars
    The BHECN Scholars program supports undergraduate seniors who plan to pursue master’s degrees in Nebraska-based behavioral health programs.
  - Correctional Sites Internship Program
    With clinical supervision, trainees in this internship program provide direct care to inmates and individuals needing mental health care.
  - Rural and Underserved Trainee Stipend Program
    In BHECN’s Rural and Underserved Trainee Stipend Program, graduate-level student trainees can apply to receive a stipend for their experiences.
- Education and Training Overview
- - Project PEACE
    The Project PEACE Webinar Series is a series of webinars recorded by psychiatry residents on rotation with BHECN.
  - Core Topics
    This accredited continuing education activity is designed for Behavioral Health providers to include psychologists, nurses, therapists, and social workers.
  - DSM-5 TR
    This webinar reviews revisions from the DSM-5 to the DSM-5-TR with speakers Krista Fritson, PsyD and Arden Szepe, PhD, NCC.
  - Heal the Healer
    Heal the Healer is a free webinar series that addresses incivility and bullying in the workplace designed for nurses and interested healthcare professionals.
- - Training Partnerships
    BHECN establishes partnerships to create and disseminate educational materials for the development of the behavioral health workforce.
  - Nebraska Behavioral Health Education Partnership
    BHECN partners with the 19 academic institutions to track the number of graduate-level behavioral health education students graduating and staying in Nebraska.
  - The BHECN Serenity Project
    The BHECN Serenity Project is a series of free online yoga and meditation sessions in partnership with Lotus House of Yoga.
- 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.
- Legislative Reports
  BHECN's biennial legislative reports examine the characteristics of actively practicing behavioral health providers in Nebraska.
- Nebraska Behavioral Health Policy Forum
  This forum discussed how investments in BHECN are being used to recruit, train, and retain behavioral health and rural healthcare providers across 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 Sites Overview
- BHECN Panhandle
  BHECN Panhandle serves as a rural hub that supports our mission of recruitment and retention of behavioral health professionals across Nebraska.
- BHECN Central
  BHECN Central serves as a satellite location for training and workforce development in the central parts of the state.
- BHECN Northeast
  BHECN Northeast is a satellite location based at Wayne State College that facilitates training and workforce development in Northeast Nebraska.
BHECN Model

— Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska — Career Pathways — Student and Trainee Opportunities — Applications now being accepted for the new BHECN Scholars Program

Applications now being accepted for the new BHECN Scholars Program

The application cycle for the BHECN Scholars program – formerly known as the Behavioral Health Opportunities Program – or BHOP -- is now open. The application cycle will close June 19. Successful applicants will be notified about their awards in July with a kick-off event to be held in August.

BHECN Scholars is a pathway program that supports undergraduate seniors who plan to pursue their master’s degree in a Nebraska-based behavioral health program following graduation. Scholars will receive tuition support, mentorship and professional development, and participate in social and learning opportunities built around a cohort model.

The program's purpose is to recruit regionally and culturally diverse students into the behavioral health workforce and ensure their success as practicing, licensed professionals in Nebraska. The program is expanding to other higher-education institutions after a successful pilot year at the University of Nebraska Kearney.

“We’re excited to expand this program statewide after it proved to be successful at UNK,” said Kati Cordts, PhD, Associate Director of Education and Training at BHECN. “We feel this program will be a powerful tool in helping grow Nebraska’s behavioral health workforce.”

Scholars selected for the program will receive a one-time $5,000 payment in Fall 2024. Funding will be distributed to the Scholar and can be used to support tuition and other educational expenses.

In addition to financial support, Scholars will have unique access to specialized programming designed to enhance their professional development, including assistance with graduate school applications (including a letter of recommendation), engagement in BHECN-sponsored activities, and sponsorship for regional educational conferences.

Learn more about the BHECN Scholars program – including how to apply – here.