Tyler Ellyson
UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Hannah Reeve grew up in the small town of Potter in the Nebraska Panhandle, where she saw firsthand the challenges created by the state’s mental and behavioral health workforce shortage.
“I know a lot of people who struggle with their mental health, and there really weren’t any resources available for them in the Panhandle,” Reeve said, specifically recalling a high school classmate who traveled two hours into neighboring Wyoming for therapy services.
“That’s something that has always interested me, closing that gap in support for people who live in my area,” she added. “I want to lead by example to expand access to those resources and hopefully encourage others to do the same.”
Now a senior at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Reeve is studying sociology with plans to return to western Nebraska to work in social services after graduating in December.
She’s also among the nearly 200 students currently pursuing a minor in behavioral and mental health at UNK.
Launched in fall 2020, that program was created with a primary goal of increasing the number of behavioral and mental health professionals in the state.
“In central and western Nebraska, there’s a real need for people working in the behavioral and mental health professions. Not only do they support individuals in crisis but they also strengthen families, workplaces and entire communities,” said Suzanne Maughan Spencer, an associate professor and chair of the UNK Department of Sociology. “As the need for these professionals continues to grow, investing in their education and development is critical to ensure everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.”
Suzanne Maughan Spencer is an associate professor and chair of the UNK Department of Sociology, which houses the behavioral and mental health minor. “Most people work with people, so we need to understand how to best serve each other,” she says.
According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, Nebraska has less than half of the behavioral health workforce needed to adequately meet the state’s needs. All but five of the 93 counties are designated as mental health professions shortage areas, and 23 counties don’t have any behavioral health providers at all.
The behavioral and mental health minor uses an interdisciplinary approach to help prepare students for these careers. Housed in the Department of Sociology, it also includes courses from counseling and school psychology, family science, psychology and social work.
“It’s a very hands-on program,” said Reeve, who currently works as a registered behavior technician at The Spectrum Center for Autism in Kearney. “Every course that you take is completely different, so you’re learning a variety of skills that you really wouldn’t get anywhere else.”
There are two emphasis areas to choose from – behavioral and mental health or alcohol and drug counseling – with both options comprised of classes across multiple disciplines. All of the courses for the alcohol and drug counseling emphasis are pre-approved by the Department of Health and Human Services, so they count toward provisional licensure as an alcohol and drug counselor in Nebraska.
UNK offers graduate programs in clinical mental health counseling, school psychology and school counseling, as well as an alcohol and drug counseling certificate program.
The behavioral and mental health minor is perfect for students interested in those programs because it offers valuable insight and experiences at the undergraduate level, Maughan Spencer said.
It also equips students with knowledge and skills that can enhance other majors and careers, such as nursing, occupational therapy, social work, public health, human resources, criminal justice and Spanish translation and interpretation.
“Most people work with people, so we need to understand how to best serve each other,” Maughan Spencer said. “We’re not all the same – in times of stress we may respond differently. It’s important to recognize that and know when people should be guided to behavioral and mental health resources.”
UNK senior Jordan Soto-Stopak is studying psychology with minors in criminal justice and behavioral and mental health. She wants to work in federal law enforcement.
Jordan Soto-Stopak, a UNK senior from Albion, added the behavioral and mental health minor during her first year on campus, when she was still undecided about her future plans.
“It really allowed me to customize my learning experience,” she said. “I was able to try a little bit of everything from different disciplines, and that helped me gain a better perspective of the human services field and what it all entails.”
Soto-Stopak is studying psychology, and she recently picked up another minor in criminal justice. She wants to work in federal law enforcement, but isn’t ruling out the possibility of pursuing a master’s degree and becoming a mental health counselor later in life.
The behavioral and mental health minor is beneficial for both careers.
“I just think it’s a really unique opportunity to take different classes that are geared toward your own specific interests,” Soto-Stopak said. “You really can’t go wrong with it.”