Appropriated to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) to provide construction grants to build mental health care and education capacity.

Improving mental health care and education capacity is a foundation for a full societal recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The benefits of expanding mental health and education capacity include improved access to mental health and education services. This improved access to services will reduce utilization of hospital emergency rooms and crisis care; decrease police involvement and incarceration; foster a higher quality of life through better education, workforce, and life skills; and increase job retention.

DED will make an application available to nonprofit organizations for the purpose of applying for construction grants from the Build Mental Health Care and Education Capacity Program. The applications will be accepted on a date to be determined. Awards will be issued until funds are exhausted

POINT OF CONTACT:
Dave Dearmont, Research Administrator
Nebraska Department of Economic Development
402-471-3777 | dave.dearmont@nebraska.gov

Anticipated Start Date: TBD
$10,000,000 appropriated to the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) for the creation of the RWHF Land Development Program.

Housing developed under this program must benefit households with an income at or below 300% of the most recent federal poverty guidelines published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services or projects in communities that have been determined to be disproportionately negatively impacted by the pandemic. Program funds must be obligated to projects by December 31, 2024. Housing projects must be completed by and all funds expended by December 31, 2026.

POINT OF CONTACT:
Lynn Kohout, Director Nebraska Department of Economic Development 
Housing Division 
402-440-2599 | lynn.kohout@nebraska.gov

Nebraska Department of Labor

Anticipated Start Date: To Be Determined

$4,000,000 appropriated to the Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) for the creation of the Nursing Recruitment and Retention Grant.

Nursing Recruitment and Retention Grant (“NRRG”) awards will fund premium pay as part of a strategy to support the recruitment and retention of healthcare workers in high-demand positions. Premium pay will target registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) working in eligible practice settings. 

NRRG award recipients will be healthcare institutions and healthcare systems, and these recipients will commit to providing training and professional development to support the retention of the healthcare workers eligible for premium pay. 

NRRG funds will be used to make lump sum payments of premium pay wages of $2,500.00 to RNs, $1500 to LPNs, and $1000 to CNAs in eligible positions who remain employed as of January 9, 2024.

POINT OF CONTACT: 
Katie Thurber, General Counsel
Nebraska Department of Labor
Katie.thurber@nebraska.gov | 402-471-9912 | 402-540-5637 (cell)

Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2022

$20,000,000 appropriated to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for the creation of the rural ambulance replacement program.

The goal of this project is to assist Emergency Medical Services (EMS) across the state to replace aging ambulance fleets.

POINT OF CONTACT: 
Tim Wilson
Public Health
402 471-3121 | Tim.Wilson@nebraska.gov

LB1014 Guidance Document_DHHS DL 6-13-22.pdf (ne.gov)

Anticipated Start Date: December 2023

$2,500,000 appropriated to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for expanding acute care behavioral health capacity in rural Nebraska.

Funding is intended to provide grants of up to $250,000 for capital costs of expanding access to behavioral health acute care beds in rural areas where beds are not currently available, or a shortage exists.

POINT OF CONTACT: 
Margaret Brockman
Office of Rural Health
(402) 471-6057 | Margaret.Brockman@nebraska.gov

Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2022

$5,000,000 appropriated to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for grants to licensed emergency medical services programs.

The goal of this grant is to provide for the one-time purchase of equipment for Emergency Medical Service (EMS) that are primarily volunteer and rural.

POINT OF CONTACT: 
Tim Wilson
Public Health
(402) 471-3121 | Tim.Wilson@nebraska.gov

Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2022

$5,000,000 appropriated to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for repayment of qualified educational debts owed by eligible health professionals.

The goal of this grant is to assist in the recruitment and retention of health professionals for rural and underserved areas.

POINT OF CONTACT: 
Rachael Wolfe
Office of Rural Health
(402) 471-0778 | Rachael.Wolfe@nebraska.gov

Anticipated Start Date: July 2022

$5,000,000 appropriated to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for support to a rehabilitation hospital in advancing COVID-19 model system of care in the state. The goal of this grant is to gain a better understanding of the current burden and impact of long COVID in Nebraska to inform the services provided through long COVID clinics.

POINT OF CONTACT: 
Dr. Charity Menefee
Division of Public Health
(402) 471-8566 | Charity.Menefee@nebraska.gov

Anticipated Start Date: August 1, 2022

$5,000,000 appropriated to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for funding nurse scholarships in Nebraska. The goal of this grant is to provide incentives for current and prospective nursing students to finish nursing school and subsequently practice nursing for two years in Nebraska.

POINT OF CONTACT: 
Caryn Vincent
Division of Public Health
(402) 471-9435 | caryn.vincent@nebraska.gov

Anticipated Start Date: July 15, 2022

$5,400,000 appropriated to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for funding for assisted living facilities (ALFs) to recruit and retain employees. The goals of this program are to provide additional funding to ALFs for employee recruitment and retention activities and for costs for supplies and equipment for facilities, due to financial distress created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

POINT OF CONTACT: 
Jeremy Brunssen 
Division of Finance
(402) 471-9362 | Jeremy.Brunssen@nebraska.gov

Anticipated Start Date: July 15, 2022

$47,500,000 appropriated to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to Medicaid-Certified Nursing Facilities to incentive employees. The goals of this program are to provide supplemental incentive payments for direct care staff members employed at licensed and Medicaid-certified nursing facilities and for employee recruitment and retention activities due to financial distress created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

POINT OF CONTACT: 
Jeremy Brunssen 
Division of Finance
(402) 471-9362 | Jeremy.Brunssen@nebraska.gov

Anticipated Start Date: October 1, 2022

$1,800,000 appropriated to the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for funding for a pediatric trauma center in Nebraska to purchase technology that will support statewide pediatric mental health services through telehealth and telemonitoring, which shall only be used for such purpose.

Goal: to improve access for all Nebraskans to pediatric mental health services to address, mitigate, and treat stressors and psychological impacts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic without traveling to Nebraska’s only pediatric trauma center in Omaha.

POINT OF CONTACT: 
Karen Harker
Division of Behavioral Health
(402) 471-7796 | karen.harker@nebraska.gov

Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2022

The Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska (BHECN) was allocated $25.5 million to help the state address the shortage of behavioral health (BH) professionals in Nebraska.

This one-time funding will be disbursed through a competitive request for proposal process based on the four major areas outlined in LB1014 (found below). Any organization/provider is eligible to apply for these awards and awards will be given on a quarterly basis (tentatively starting July 2022). The following are the four award categories:

POINT OF CONTACT:
Dr. Marley Doyle, MD
Director, BHECN
402-552-7697 | marley.doyle@unmc.edu

Anticipated Start Date: July 1, 2022

These two programs can provide monetary support for:

1) The reimbursement of expenses incurred to obtain an on-site, in-person licensed sign language interpreter for an eligible appointment in any approved rural (outside of Lincoln or Omaha metro areas) area in Nebraska, and;

2) The reimbursement of expenses incurred to provide a qualified licensed sign language interpreter (on-site or remote) or other auxiliary aid services, such as real-time captioning or CART, during a legal appointment or meeting outside of a courtroom setting ANYWHERE in the state of Nebraska. 

POINT OF CONTACT:
John Wyvill, Executive Director 
Nebraska Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
(402)471-3593 | (402)261-2670 VP | john.wyvill@nebraska.gov

I encourage you to review all of these programs - these funds can help bolster needed programs and services in our facilities and within our health care system overall. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don't hesitate to reach out to the NHA.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Nordquist, MPA
President