2022 Legislative Priorities
- LB852 (Day) Require behavioral health points of contact for school districts, provide for mental health first aid training, and change education innovation grants (PASSED)
- LB857 (Day) Provide for express lane eligibility under the Medical Assistance Act and the Children's Health Insurance Program (Indefinitely Postponed)
- LB865 (DeBoer) Change provisions relating to reimbursement for child care and state intent to appropriate federal funds ($5M included in Mainline Budget Bill LB1011)
- LB912 (Morfeld) Provide for mental health first aid training for school districts and change provisions relating to the use of lottery funds (Amended into LB852)
- LB1173 (HHS Committee) Create a work group and strategic leadership group for child welfare system reform, provide duties for the Department of Health and Human Services, require reports of child abuse or neglect, and change and eliminate provisions regarding lead agencies and a pilot project for child welfare system reform (PASSED)
- LB1218 (Education Committee) Adopt the Teach in Nebraska Today Act, provide for income tax adjustments, and change provisions relating to certification of school employees and student loan forgiveness (PASSED)
Some Past Successes
- Increased income eligibility in the Children’s Health Insurance Program to 200% of poverty opening up health services to more than 5,400 low income Nebraska children.
- Successfully re-established a 30-year state policy providing prenatal care to low income women giving all Nebraska babies the best possible start at life.
- Prohibited private insurance from denying coverage for mental health services solely because the service is delivered in a school and excludes any school employees that provide services.
- Opened up options for telehealth services by requiring private insurance market to cover any service provided via telehealth if the service is covered for in person services and removing an existing restriction in Medicaid that if a child has access to services within 30 miles of their residence, telehealth services would not be reimbursed.
COVID Issues/Resources
- 2021 Updated Guidance to Safely Return to School
- UNMC COVID-19 Playbook - Fall 2021
- Children's Hospital & Medical Center Fruitful 2021 COVID 19 Vaccine Campaign
- 2020 NCHEA Back to School Guidance
- Department of Education – Launch NE
- Food Bank for the Heartland
- Telehealth Updates during COVID-19 Emergency
- Vaccine Information