This bill amends sections 71-809 and 71-812 of the Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, focusing on the powers and duties of regional behavioral health authorities. Key changes include the introduction of provisions that allow regional behavioral health authorities to provide services without a public competitive bidding process under certain conditions, specifically if there are no qualified providers or if authorized by the division. Additionally, the bill establishes guidelines for determining financial eligibility for consumers and mandates that fees and copays be uniformly applied by service providers. It also introduces the possibility of pilot projects for new services, which can transition into full services upon successful outcomes.

Furthermore, the bill modifies the Behavioral Health Services Fund to include provisions for housing-related assistance for very low-income adults with serious mental illness or substance abuse disorders. It allows for the distribution of excess funds to regional behavioral health authorities for housing acquisition or rehabilitation, contingent upon the fulfillment of housing-related obligations. The bill emphasizes the importance of community-based behavioral health services and outlines the responsibilities of the division in managing and distributing funds to support these initiatives.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 71-809, 71-812