Like many systems, Omaha-based Children's Nebraska is preparing to open a new behavioral health facility. Unlike many systems, it is creating a system of care called the "no wrong door approach."
The approach is focused on making access to care easier.
"Instead of turning people away, it ensures that whatever door you enter, you receive care for your behavioral health needs," Renee Rafferty, senior vice president of Behavioral Health & Wellness, told Becker's. "That's the foundational idea behind the Behavioral Health and Wellness Center: one door, one system. You come in, we care for you, we meet your needs, and we eliminate barriers so you and your child achieve better outcomes."
Traditionally, behavioral health is built in a "patchwork fashion with limited resources," but Children's Nebraska's new model embraces complexity.
"Whether someone is experiencing substance misuse, a mental health condition, a low-level crisis, or a severe crisis, we know how to help," she said. "Families don't always know what level of care they need, so we've designed a system where we can guide them, just like on the medical side of healthcare."
The continuum of care begins with the new urgent care, to which parents are encouraged to bring their children when they are concerned.
"It’s similar to how parents handle a cold: They watch it for a few days, then take their child to urgent care if symptoms worsen," Ms. Rafferty said. "That's exactly what we're creating: a behavioral health urgent care where parents can bring their child in, get an assessment, and determine if more specialized care is needed. Our urgent care model says: Come in when you need to."
The facility will offer observation and stabilization, inpatient care, day treatment programs, primary care integration, and transfers to higher levels of care when needed.
"While behavioral health integration is complex, we feel a strong responsibility to reshape the system, ensuring that families receive real-time care without delays," she said.
The facility
The Behavioral Health & Wellness Center at Children's Nebraska is a 40-bed facility expected to open in early 2026. The system estimates it will see more than 5,000 visits through its crisis assessment center and to host more than 8,000 patient days at about 24 patients a day. To meet demand for care, the system expects to hire more than 100 new team members.
The 100,000-square-foot facility has space for inpatient and outpatient mental health care. All services will be holistic, trauma-informed, co-located and integrated to serve medical needs as well.
The facility is supported by $120 million raised by the Mental Health Innovation Foundation.