The proposed bill seeks to improve Nebraska's mental health system by establishing the Regional Mental Health Expansion Pilot Program Act, which aims to address the shortage of mental health care professionals and the accessibility of services. It provides funding to county law enforcement agencies to expand mental health beds and encourages collaboration among agencies to better serve their communities. The bill introduces provisions for videoconferencing during mental health evaluations and hearings, modifies existing laws to allow for the detention of individuals in jails with mental health beds, and clarifies that the pilot program's focus is on expanding mental health services for individuals in custody due to mental health issues rather than facilitating their incarceration.

Additionally, the bill amends laws related to the treatment of dangerous sex offenders, requiring mental health board hearings to determine the status of individuals classified as such, with a focus on ensuring that subjects understand their rights. It mandates immediate notification to authorities when a person receiving treatment for dangerous sex offenses is absent without authorization and expands the definition of where detained individuals may be held. The bill also includes several repeals of existing statutes to streamline the legal framework surrounding mental health evaluations and the treatment of individuals in custody, while safeguarding their rights throughout the process.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 71-901, 71-903, 71-904, 71-915, 71-919, 71-920, 71-922, 71-924, 71-926, 71-939, 71-941, 71-951, 71-952, 71-954, 71-958, 71-1203, 71-1204, 71-1206, 71-1208, 71-1223