Leveraging Emergency Relief Funding for Behavioral Health Workforce Development: Policy Lessons From Nebraska’s Experience

The authors describe Nebraska's implementation of $25.5 million in State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds of the American Rescue Plan Act through the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska, a state-funded workforce center housed in an academic medical center. Funds were allocated across four workforce priorities: training and education, tele-behavioral health, COVID-19 workforce projects, and financial incentives for clinical supervision. Embedded program evaluation, technical assistance, and an equity-focused application review process enabled rapid administration, accountability, and statewide reach. The findings demonstrate how academic medical centers can translate one-time federal relief funding into coordinated, evidence-informed workforce efforts with long-term policy relevance.