Amid mental health struggles in rural Nebraska, bill aims to alleviate Emergency Protective Custody pains
SCOTTS BLUFF COUNTY, Neb. (KOLN) - In the far reaches of Nebraska’s panhandle more than 120 miles from Interstate 80, breathtaking vistas and natural beauty greet those coming into Scotts Bluff County. Among its wide-open spaces lies a problem that knows no geographical bounds. Like nearly everywhere else in America, mental health is a major topic that likely doesn’t get talked about enough.
“We have some people that we see more than once,” said Sheriff Mark Overman behind the wheel of his unmarked cruiser, driving along Highway 92 near the Scotts Bluff National Monument. “This is not a secret that work among this realm of mental health, the jail is where serious mental health problems go.”
At the Scotts Bluff County Detention Center in Gering, roughly 50% of inmates suffer from some sort of mental illness according to the facility’s medical sergeant. With the capacity to hold 288 people, it’s usually between 80 and 90% full.
“It’s been a slow-rising issue that we’ve been having out here,” said Mike Johnson while walking through the halls of the detention center. “We have anything from genetic-type schizophrenia to drug-induced schizophrenia. We have the largest psych ward in this area of the state.”
Out in this part of the state, tapping into mental health services is made all the more difficult. Chris Baum, a licensed independent mental health practitioner who also works at the hospital in Scottsbluff, has worked at the jail for two years.
“Where we are, you know, if they need a higher level of care type treatment, we are hours away,” she said. “It’s really hard to bring in new professionals and doctors. Every community needs mental health services and we need them available to everyone regardless of age, race, gender, whatever it is.”
And when it comes to what’s known as Emergency Protective Custody, that’s where an adequate response can be hundreds of miles away.
“These are people that are having a mental health crisis,” explained Sheriff Overman. “They haven’t committed a crime. We take them into custody because we believe they’re in imminent danger of serious injury or death to themselves or someone else because of a mental health issue.”
“The problem we have out here is there’s one place to take them and that’s Regional West Medical Center, the hospital in Scottsbluff. They’ve got a psychiatric unit there but sometimes they can’t take the people, they’re full,” he added.
That means in some cases, his deputies will have to drive someone to Kearney or even Lincoln to get the help they need.
“If we’re traveling all the way across the state, their families if they want to see them or talk to them or anything, then they’re 400 miles away,” said Sheriff Overman. His department isn’t the only feeling this pinch.
“When it does happen, and let’s say it happens in a town that only has half a dozen officers, now you’ve taken a third of their police department and sent them across the state.”
In an effort to ease those pains, a bill has been introduced at the Nebraska State Capitol, LB 386. It was put forth by freshman Senator Tanya Storer of Whitman on behalf of the Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers. If passed, it would create the Regional Mental Health Expansion Pilot Program Act. One agency in the state would be selected as the pilot, allowing them to use existing infrastructure, such as jail beds, to house those people in a mental health crisis until they receive treatment and follow-up services.
“It’s an issue for Scottsbluff but almost everywhere in the panhandle,” noted Hilgers. “By helping them on the front end, we’re able help make sure a lot of those people aren’t then committing crimes, hurting themselves, hurting others, and maybe going to prison and exacerbating a whole different set of problems. What we’re trying to do is get them stabilized, help them get back to their home and leading a productive life, helping the agencies helping the communities.”
Over the last year or so, Hilgers says he traveled to all 93 counties meeting with law enforcement officials and that this was something that continually came up.
“We’re not using taxpayer dollars,” said Hilgers of how the program would be funded. “We’re looking for grant funding or opioid dollars. This feels like something that people of all ideological stripes or political stripes can get behind and put their arms around.”
However, with this being a sensitive topic, Sheriff Overman back in Scotts Bluff County knows not everyone will necessarily be on board with the idea.
“I understand the skepticism, I do, and we don’t think those people need to be in a jail cell, but I also don’t think they need to be driven 400 miles across the state and be that far away from their family and their own support mechanism,” he said.
In most cases, the sheriff tells 10/11 those folks are out on their own in a few days, ideally getting plugged in with the right resources.
When it comes to mental health as a whole in the panhandle, Region 1 Behavioral Health Authority oversees 11 counties. While the agency itself couldn’t comment on the bill, a few of its employees did talk about what can be done to improve access to care.
“Getting folks, licensed mental health clinicians, to want to move back to that rural, frontier area is a struggle so out here we really have to think outside of the box,” said Lisa Simmons, director of network services. “We have to be really hands-on with our law enforcement, with our county officials.”
Telehealth has been making strides, as well. Sue Teal is the director of emergency services and has been with Region 1 for 15 years in a couple of different roles. According to her, having timely services and substance abuse providers remains a big hurdle.
“We do send people out of the region for crisis stabilization for substance and mental health so having that would be awesome,” she said. And when it comes to a job like hers, it isn’t easy work.
“You have to be passionate about it,” Teal noted. “Just know that there are people out there that care.”
At the end of the day, perhaps the most monumental obstacle is simply breaking the stigma around mental health and having meaningful conversations.
“We’re talking about people who live in the community with us,” said Holly Brandt, the regional administrator with Region 1. “These are the people that we live with, these are the people that we work with, these are the people we go to church with. Whatever time it takes, the people in our community and all across the state are worth it.”
As she wrapped up her interview, she had this to say.
“If you had a diabetes diagnosis and your levels of insulin were off, you wouldn’t be scared to go to the doctor and talk about that. Mental health should be no different.”
As for the future of that bill, it will go before the Judiciary Committee on March 28 for its first hearing. Meanwhile, out in Scotts Bluff County, Sheriff Overman hopes change of some kind is on the horizon.
“We’re absolutely not trying to criminalize this, not all,” he said. “That’s not the answer to it. This is an attempt to give us more than what we have.”
Click here to subscribe to our 10/11 NOW daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.
Copyright 2025 KOLN. All rights reserved.
