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Report: More oversight needed for mental health services

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Nebraska legislative committee has released a report recommending more oversight of how the state addresses access and funding issues with mental health services.

The Lincoln Journal Star (http://bit.ly/1jwXcIc ) reports that the Performance Audit Committee released the report Monday. The audit was authorized in February after concerns about identifying service gaps were raised after the state's 2004 transition to community-based services.

Mental health regional administrators have cited several problems in services, including gaps in care for people with more than one mental illness, insufficient help for people to find appropriate homes and a lack of psychiatric emergency systems in some areas.

The committee said it will draft a bill to reinforce a requirement for the behavioral division of the state Department of Health and Human Services to complete a needs assessment.

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Information from: Lincoln Journal Star, http://www.journalstar.com

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