By Paul Hamel
Nebraska Examiner
LINCOLN — A ribbon-cutting ceremony this week celebrated the opening of the new CenterPointe Campus for Health and WellBeing.
It’s the kind of facility that state lawmakers hope will be duplicated across the state to improve behavioral health treatment.
On Friday, the Nebraska Legislature gave final approval to Legislative Bill 276, a measure sponsored by Sen. Anna Wishart that seeks to establish a statewide network of “federally certified behavioral health clinics” that treat low-income people and those experiencing homelessness.
Gov. Jim Pillen, who testified in favor of the bill, is expected to sign it into law.
The $27 million CenterPointe’s campus, located in a fully refurbished former dormitory for nursing students, is a fully integrated health clinic that offers mental health, substance care, primary care and pharmacy services, all under one roof.
It also provides affordable apartments for 32 people and houses 24/7 crisis support.
Such “certified” community clinics are required to provide nine core services so that a broader array of help is available and more accessible, advocates say. Such clinics are also required to coordinate better with local law enforcement.
In Missouri, such legislation has led to an increase in mental health providers, LB 276 supporters say.
CenterPointe, along with Lutheran Family Services of Omaha and Fremont, and Community Alliance of Omaha, have already developed certified community behavioral health clinics as federal demonstration projects.
Others clinics are in the development stage at Heartland Family Services in Omaha and South Central Behavioral Health.