Executive Summary

From 2010 to 2025, Nebraska's licensed behavioral health workforce grew by 64%, increasing from 2,279 to 3,734 providers. Rural areas also experienced substantial growth, with the number of providers increasing by 34%. These gains reflect Nebraska's long-term investment in behavioral health workforce development and the importance of statewide coordination, local partnerships and data-informed planning.

Through the Nebraska Model for Behavioral Health Workforce Development, BHECN supports a coordinated approach to strengthening the workforce and addressing the evolving behavioral health needs of communities across the state.

Key Workforce Trends and Progress

• Statewide Workforce Growth: Nebraska's licensed behavioral health workforce increased by 64% between 2010 and 2025. The greatest growth occurred among Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioners (LIMHPs), up 259%; psychiatric physician assistants (PAs), up 267%; and psychiatric advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), up 186%.

• Rural Workforce Expansion: The number of behavioral health providers practicing in rural Nebraska increased by 34%, from 584 to 782. Despite this progress, rural communities continue to have fewer providers per 100,000 residents than urban areas, particularly in specialized professions.

• Changes Across Professions: Growth has varied considerably among behavioral health professions. While LIMHPs and psychiatric APRNs have experienced substantial increases, the number of psychiatrists grew by just 5% and psychologists by 25% since 2010. The shift from LMHP to LIMHP licensure also reflects changes in the workforce's professional composition and independent practice capacity.

• Expanded Workforce Tracking: In 2025, BHECN expanded its workforce data collection to include four additional provider types: Board Certified Psychiatric Pharmacists (BCPPs), Licensed Behavior Analysts (LBAs), Licensed Assistant Behavior Analysts (LABAs) and Certified Peer Support Specialists (CPSSs). This expanded tracking provides a more comprehensive picture of Nebraska's behavioral health workforce.

Challenges and Ongoing Needs

• Geographic Disparities: Despite statewide workforce growth, significant differences remain in provider availability across Nebraska. Rural areas have less than one-third the psychiatrist availability of urban areas, and residents in some counties must travel more than an hour to access in-person behavioral health services.

• Specialized Provider Shortages: Limited growth among psychiatrists and psychologists continues to present challenges, particularly in rural communities. Expanding access to specialized behavioral health services will require targeted efforts to strengthen educational opportunities, clinical experiences and provider recruitment and retention.

• Education, Supervision and Licensure Barriers: Limited access to paid clinical experiences, qualified supervisors and post-graduate opportunities can delay entry into the workforce. These barriers are especially challenging in rural areas, where educational programs and supervised practice opportunities may be less accessible.

• Workforce Distribution and Sustainability: Although Nebraska's workforce has grown, providers remain unevenly distributed across the state. Continued attention to professional support, regional workforce needs and succession planning will be essential to sustaining progress.

Sustaining Nebraska’s Leadership

Nebraska's long-standing commitment to tracking its behavioral health workforce provides valuable information for understanding workforce trends, identifying gaps and guiding future investments. Through ongoing workforce research and collaboration with state agencies, educational institutions, health care organizations and community partners, BHECN helps inform coordinated strategies that respond to Nebraska's changing needs.

Future efforts should focus on:

1. Expanding rural workforce opportunities through local partnerships, clinical experiences, educational programs and financial incentives that support providers serving rural communities.

2. Strengthening supervision and licensure support to help emerging professionals transition into independent practice, particularly in areas with limited access to qualified supervisors.

3. Addressing specialized workforce shortages by supporting additional educational opportunities, residency programs and recruitment and retention strategies for psychiatrists, psychologists and other specialized providers.

4. Continuing statewide workforce research and coordination to monitor emerging trends, identify regional needs and support informed decisions about workforce development investments.

Conclusion

Nebraska has made substantial progress in strengthening its behavioral health workforce since 2010. However, workforce growth alone does not guarantee equitable access to care. Continued investment in education, professional support, regional partnerships and workforce research will be essential to addressing geographic disparities and ensuring Nebraskans can access the behavioral health services they need, regardless of where they live.