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April - 2025

BHECN launches Southeast Site in Lincoln

The Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN) has launched its Southeast Site in Lincoln.

The opening of the site means BHECN now has locations in all six of the state’s behavioral health regions.

The newest site will allow BHECN to address the unique behavioral health workforce needs of the southeastern part of the state, said BHECN Director Marley Doyle, MD.

“Southeast Nebraska has a unique blend of urban and rural communities, and our newest site will help us ensure we are being responsive to the workforce challenges and opportunities that exist here,” Dr. Doyle said.

Along with having a mix of urban and rural populations, the southeast region is also home to several higher education institutions that help educate behavioral health workers, as well as multiple correctional facilities where the need for behavioral health professionals is high.

BHECN Southeast will work with partners from across these entities -- as well as other behavioral health workers -- to help identify key workforce challenges and ways BHECN can address them, said site Co-Directors Wendy Baumeister, PsyD, (pictured left) and Kimberly Clawson, MD. (Pictured right)

“BHECN has long been a leader in helping grow our state’s behavioral health workforce, and we are excited to work to help ensure BHECN’s efforts are more tailored to meet the needs of our region,” Dr. Baumeister said.

“Southeastern Nebraska is unique in many ways, and its behavioral health workforce needs reflect that fact,” Dr. Clawson said. “By working with stakeholders from a broad array of fields and communities, we will help ensure our workforce meets those needs and improves behavioral health for those who live here.”

While BHECN Southeast is currently operational, a formal opening event will be held on Tuesday, April 15, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Region 5 Systems at 3600 Union Drive in Lincoln. (RSVP for the event here.)

As BHECN’s sixth site, BHECN Southeast joins:

• BHECN Central, launched at the University of Nebraska at Kearney in 2015.
• BHECN Panhandle, started at Chadron State College in 2019.
• BHECN Northeast, launched at Wayne State College in 2023.
• BHECN East, started at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2024.
• BHECN Southwest, started in North Platte in 2024.

Learn more about the BHECN sites.

The next application cycle for the BHECN Scholars Program opens April 14 and closes May 16.

BHECN Scholars is a pathway program designed to support undergraduate seniors who plan to pursue master’s degrees in Nebraska-based behavioral health programs after graduation. Scholars receive a stipend, mentorship, professional development and opportunities for social and academic engagement within a cohort model.

The program’s goal is to recruit students from different regions of Nebraska into the behavioral health workforce and support their success as licensed professionals practicing in the state.

Scholars selected for the program will receive a one-time $5,000 payment in Fall 2025. This funding, distributed directly to the Scholar, can be used to support tuition and other educational expenses.

Additionally, Scholars who complete all program requirements and gain admission to an eligible graduate program in 2026 may renew their scholarship for a second year, receiving an additional $5,000.

Successful applicants will be notified of their awards in June.

Learn more about the BHECN Scholars Program and how to apply here.

The BHECN ARPA Awards Program has significantly increased the number of behavioral health students and provisionally licensed providers who receive supervision in Nebraska, new evaluation data show.

Organizations receiving support to bolster supervision increased the total number of supervisees from 97 to 174, representing a 79% increase after one year of the BHECN-ARPA Awards Program, the evaluation data show.

The evaluation data were the focus of a recent story that appeared in UNMC Today and other outlets.

Read the full story here.

In each BHECN newsletter, we will feature a member of the BHECN team to help you get to know us better.

This month, we feature Jessie Buche, MPH, MA, director of the ARPA Awards Program.

In this position, Jessie -- a native of Lake Odessa, Mich., -- oversees BHECN’s distribution of $25.5 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds to behavioral health organizations and providers around the state.

"We specifically recruited Jessie to BHECN because of her national reputation in behavioral health workforce development,” said BHECN Director Marley Doyle, MD. “We were thrilled when she joined, because we knew she would do great work.

“During her time here, Jessie has elevated the ARPA program in ways we couldn’t have imagined. She and her team have efficiently allocated funding across the state, creating meaningful impacts for both providers and recipients of behavioral health services in Nebraska.”

Below we learn more about Jessie in her own words.

When did you start at BHECN?

I started working for BHECN in August 2022, soon after the center received its unprecedented $25.5 million in ARPA SLFRF funding to support behavioral health workforce development in the state.

What do you like most about working at BHECN?

I enjoy working directly with behavioral health providers, listening to their needs, and taking a collaborative approach to addressing the numerous challenges they face daily. I also enjoy collaborating with my colleagues who are dedicated to growing the behavioral health workforce in Nebraska. The work we do is meaningful, and so it's easy to show up to work motivated.

What do you do for fun in your off time? 

I'm one year away from completing my DrPH in Epidemiology at UNMC's College of Public Health, so I invest a significant amount of non-working hours in my education. In the few breaks I do have, I travel a lot, most recently to Aruba, France, and the Netherlands. I spend a lot of time with my young children, playing soccer, crafting, reading, camping, and exploring Lake Michigan's beaches and dunes together. I've instilled in them a love of travel as well; we visit a new National Park every year!

Learn more about Jessie here.

Time remains to register for Primary Care Provider Workshop

Join BHECN for a free workshop led by BHECN’s Project PEACE (Psychiatric E-modules Advancing Clinician Education), designed to equip Nebraska’s primary care providers with essential skills and knowledge to effectively address patient behavioral health concerns.

Date: Friday, April 25

Time: 9 am - 3 pm

Location: Younes Conference Center South -- Kearney

REGISTER HERE BY APRIL 14!

This workshop will give primary care providers the opportunity to learn practical guidance on identifying behavioral health conditions and developing effective treatment plans. 

Breakout sessions will explore key topics such as anxiety disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, and psychiatric emergencies. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, discuss clinical challenges with expert presenters, and connect with other primary care providers across Nebraska to foster collaboration and build professional networks.

Space is limited. Registration is required. There are no fees to attend. 



Learn more about the workshop at this website or by viewing this flier! 

The American Counseling Association will host the Business of Counseling Summit on Friday, May 30.

Whether you’re a new private practice owner or a seasoned entrepreneur, the Business of Counseling Summit will equip professional counselors with practical skills, valuable resources and meaningful insights to grow and sustain a thriving practice.  

Learn more about the summit and how to register here!

BHECN has several online training opportunities

See our offerings here!

Visit NEBHjobs.com today to view resumes or job openings currently available.

List your resume or job opening for FREE on NEBHjobs.com, the behavioral health, Nebraska-focused jobs website.

It's FREE!

Visit NEBHjobs.com

 402.552.7697 | bhecn@unmc.edu