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Nebraska

Task Force

Nebraska does not have an Olmstead task force or an Olmstead state plan. Instead, Nebraska is using statutorily established councils and advisory boards to plan for future service delivery. Nebraska's planning and programmatic efforts have focused on three strategies: moving qualified individuals to community-based services, preserving community-based placements for individuals who are difficult to serve, and developing additional community-based services. The active involvement of consumers and family members has contributed to the success Nebraska has had in serving consumers in community settings.

Implementation

The Mental Health Commitment Act of 1976 required the use of "least restrictive alternatives" for persons with mental illness. The Development Disabilities Services Act of 1991 emphasized community-based services for persons with developmental disabilities. Under the authority of these laws, the state is purchasing services in the community for over 90% of persons receiving state-supported mental health services and for over 80% of persons receiving state-sponsored developmental disability services. Nebraska is now focusing on persons with lower levels of disability and is developing individual plans for maintaining or placing them in community settings.

Challenges

Although funding issues continue to make serving clients challenging, new funds have been allocated in recent years. In 2001, the state increased funding for the biennium for non-hospital based residential services for persons with mental illness by $7.5 million with an additional $6.5 million allocated to increase capacity in community-based mental health and substance abuse services. Community-based services for persons with developmental received an additional $8 million during the same period.

Lawsuits

There are no lawsuits in the state related to the Olmstead decision.

Next Steps

Nebraska received a $2 million Systems Change Grant from the federal government and is working on a three year planning effort know as Real Choices. This initiative will seek greater flexibility in service delivery, particularly home-based or community-based services, by providing consumers with more service choices and more say about their services. The initiative is working on a range of issues for the aging population, persons with developmental disabilities, persons with physical disabilities, persons with behavioral health need and persons with medically-complex conditions.

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