47-1202.

Legislative findings and declarations.

The Legislature finds and declares that:

(1) The State of Nebraska is facing serious issues in its current mental health system, including a shortage of mental health care professionals and long travel distances to receive care. These issues have had a negative impact on those suffering from mental health issues and their communities, particularly in rural parts of the state;

(2) As a consequence, when an individual experiences a mental health crisis in public, law enforcement officers are frequently required to respond and take the individual into emergency protective custody until the individual can be transported to an available mental health treatment facility. This places a significant burden on law enforcement agencies, particularly in rural parts of the state, which is compounded by the shortage of mental health bed space and long travel distances to facilities;

(3) Addressing these issues is vitally important to the state, and the state would benefit from innovative solutions aimed at reducing the negative impact of mental health issues on individuals and law enforcement agencies;

(4) There is a history of cooperation between rural agencies and communities that have successfully worked together to meet regional needs efficiently and cost-effectively; and

(5) There is an opportunity to adapt the existing method of cooperation and apply it in a way that helps reduce the impact on those suffering from mental health issues and the law enforcement agencies that interact with them.