Senators appointed to behavioral health committee

The Executive Board met March 21 and appointed senators to the Children’s Behavioral Health Oversight Committee.

The committee was created in 2009 to provide oversight of programs created in the wake of the state’s safe haven crisis to assist families and children in need of behavioral health services.

The following senators were appointed to the Children’s Behavioral Health Oversight Committee:
• Sens. Jeremy Nordquist and Kate Bolz from the Appropriations Committee;
• Sens. Kathy Campbell and Sue Crawford from the Health and Human Services Committee;
• Sens. Colby Coash and Amanda McGill from the Judiciary Committee; and
• Sens. Bill Avery, Annette Dubas and Pete Pirsch.

The committee was reauthorized Feb. 12 by adoption of LR31, which was introduced by Campbell and considered by the Legislature’s Executive Board.

The committee is authorized to meet with representatives of the state Department of Health and Human Services, the Nebraska Children’s Commission and other interested parties and may hold public hearings and issue reports as warranted.

Oversight functions will be transferred to the Nebraska Children’s Commission when the Children’s Behavioral Health Oversight Committee’s authorization expires at the start of the next legislative session in January 2014.