Posted on August 18, 2010 14:03
Categories: Mental Health | Substance Abuse | State and Local | Legislative and Regulatory Issues
Topics: Legislation (State & Local) | Mental Health | State Data | Substance Abuse
Prepared by the University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Public Health, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a report assessing the state’s 2004 behavioral health reforms. Following 1,225 people discharged from general psychiatric care between 2005 and 2008, the report found that 76 percent received behavioral health and other community based services, 43 percent utilized emergency shelters or crisis services, and 29 percent were placed in emergency protective custody. In addition, for the year ending June 30, 2009, the report found that 12 percent of discharged patients were readmitted to the hospital within six months, which is nearly half the 21 percent national readmission rate. The 2004 reforms focused on moving patients from inpatient care to community-based services. As part of the move, the state closed 316 regional psychiatric hospital beds and transferred the $30 million in savings to community-based services.
From the report:
In April 2004, the behavioral health reform bill, LB 1083, was signed into law to move Nebraska’s behavioral health system toward community-based services throughout the state, and away from institutionalization. According to the Nebraska Division of Behavioral Health (DBH), under Nebraska Behavioral Health Reform (2004–2009), there were 316 Regional Center general psychiatric beds closed and approximately thirty million dollars transferred to community services. As of December of 2008, Hastings Regional Center (HRC) has been converted to a facility that serves youth who are discharged from the Youth Rehabilitation Treatment Center in Kearney, Nebraska. Norfolk Regional Center (NRC) has been converted to a facility that serves sex offenders. Lincoln Regional Center (LRC) continues to provide individuals with general psychiatric, forensic psychiatric, and sex offender services.
In 2005, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) contracted with the University of Nebraska Medical Center to initiate the "Regional Center Discharge Follow-up Services Project." Its purpose is to monitor service utilization and outcomes among adults discharged from state behavioral hospitals (i.e. Regional Centers) by developing the "Behavioral Health Reform Monitoring System," a state-wide data system that can capture information from different sources.
Full report: HHS Report Examines 2004 Behavioral Health Reform (PDF | 143.7 KB) 
Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. (2010). Regional center discharge follow-up services project report. Watkins, K. and Watanabe-Galloway, S.
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