Changes to county mental health boards advances

Senators advanced a bill Feb. 4 designed to broaden the pool of professionals eligible to serve on county mental health boards.

LB111, sponsored by Grand Island Sen. Mike Gloor, would remove a current requirement that one member be a psychiatric social worker and add a position for a licensed independent mental health practitioner.

County mental health boards are charged with assessing the mental health status of individuals placed in emergency protective custody through an affidavit from a mental health professional or by law enforcement.

Gloor said the suggested change in LB111 would reflect recent developments in licensure language for mental health professionals. The term psychiatric social worker is outdated, he said, and the designation of licensed independent mental health practitioner is relatively new.

“There are not enough behavioral health professionals in Nebraska,” Gloor said. “LB111 is a recognition and accommodation of that.”

A Health and Human Services Committee amendment clarifying the category of social worker in relation to county mental health boards was adopted on a 39-0 vote and LB111 advanced to select file 40-0.