Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in Nebraska. Addressing this issue – especially in rural parts of the state – can be difficult. Today, Nebraska Public Media reports on the challenges to prevent suicide and what officials plan to do about it.
88 of Nebraska s 93 counties met federal criteria marking them as having a shortage of mental health professionals, and 29 counties lack any kind of behavioral health provider.
A recent report shows that, despite a 33.5% increase in the behavioral health workforce in the last 10 years, Nebraska is still not reaching demand, especially in rural areas.