March 12, 2007
Dear Fellow Nebraskans:
Recently, I signed into law legislation restructuring the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. Nebraska’s senators sent LB 296 to my desk early in the session so that we could begin the process of making changes that will be needed to restructure the three agencies currently known as the Health and Human Services System (HHSS) and merge them into one single department.
The bill is part of our ongoing efforts to bring greater clarity and efficiency, increased accountability and budget transparency to the workings of our largest group of agencies.
Last summer, I began meeting with the leadership of HHSS to discuss ways we could bring better performance to this group of agencies and better understanding of the system to all Nebraskans. We involved state senators, private service providers and advocates outside the system, caseworkers, and foster families in discussions about how to design a system that would work better for Nebraskans trying to access the services that these agencies provide. LB 296 is the result of those discussions.
My top priority in developing a plan to restructure HHSS was to create one single agency that would reflect the work done by the majority of health and human services workers. We also worked to ensure that the leaders of this agency would have a clear chain of command and a more reasonable division of responsibilities.
Passing LB 296 was an important and necessary step in improving the delivery of services to the people of Nebraska.
Beginning on July 1, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services will be led by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and six directors responsible for managing the core functions of the agency, which include the divisions of public health, Medicaid, behavioral health, children and family services, developmental disabilities, and a division to run Nebraska’s four veterans’ homes.
The creation of the Division of Children and Family Services is particularly important because it presents an opportunity to bring greater attention to the work being done on behalf of children and families in need.
Children and family related programs such as foster care and protective services are currently managed by a director whose responsibilities also include supervising operations at our veterans’ homes and managing programs for those with behavioral health disorders and developmental disabilities. The Division of Children and Family Services will be the largest within the department, but will be run by a director whose sole responsibility is to manage programs that directly impact children and families in our state.
This restructuring effort is about making the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services more accessible, easier to understand and more effective for the people we serve.
While this restructuring is about more than simply changing the way the current is system is organized, it is also extremely important that we find the right leaders to help move this new department forward. We have a great opportunity to combine the knowledge and experience of the leaders who have overseen the progress during the past year, with that of individuals ready to help take this department to the next level.
I know that better performance is within our reach. I’m excited that this department will have a chance at a new beginning; one that will include a stronger connection with the people of our state.
While it’s been almost a year since we started down this road, our work to develop a stronger, more efficient department is really just beginning. I look forward to providing updates as we prepare to begin a new chapter in Nebraska’s health and human services arena.
