Nebraska Inspector General raises concerns on mental health in correctional facilities
BACK TO YOU. OKAY. THANKS, BILL. NEBRASKA’S INSPECTOR GENERAL OF STATE CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES RAISES CONCERNS OVER MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. AND HE SAYS THEY MAY BE VIOLATING STATE LAW. KETV NEWSWATCH SEVEN’S AARON HEGARTY IS HERE IN THE STUDIO WITH DETAILS. AARON. YEAH. ROB. JULIE, INSPECTOR GENERAL OF THE NEBRASKA CORRECTIONAL SYSTEM, SAYS THAT WORK BEGAN IN EARLY 2024 WHEN NEBRASKA’S DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONAL SERVICES CONSOLIDATED NEARLY ALL OF ITS INPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH BEDS INTO ONE FACILITY IN LINCOLN. THAT PROMPTED COMPLAINTS AND EVENTUALLY TO THIS REPORT, KOBERNICK SAYS. OF THE 104 INMATES IN LONGER TERM RESTRICTIVE HOUSING, 25 HAVE DIAGNOSED SERIOUS MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES. HE SAYS THAT MAY VIOLATE STATE STATUTE. THE DEPARTMENT DISAGREES. THE REPORT SAYS SOME OF THOSE INMATES ARE RIGHT NEXT TO SUICIDE WATCH CELLS, ONE INMATE TOLD THE OFFICE OF THE INSPECTOR GENERAL THAT HE WAS SUBJECTED TO LOUD RAMBLINGS AND SEEN SELF-HARMING BEHAVIOR HIMSELF. THAT INMATE LATER ENDED UP IN A SUICIDE WATCH. CELL HIMSELF. STATE SENATOR ASHLEY SPIVEY IS CALLING FOR A STUDY OF THE USE OF RESTRICTIVE HOUSING AND SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, ESPECIALLY WITH VULNERABLE POPULATIONS. IT HAD A HEARING EARLIER THIS MONTH. OUR POLICIES AND PRACTICES OF WHAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING INSIDE IS GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE ON TAX DOLLARS IF THEY RECIDIVATE AND COME BACK INSIDE, AND THEN HOW THEY SHOW P INTO COMMUNITY AND CORRECTIONS DIRECTOR ROB JEFFRIES WAS ASKED ABOUT LONG TERM RESTRICTIVE HOUSING AT THE HEARING. THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO WE HAVE IN LONG TERM RESTRICTIVE HOUSING ARE OF THE VIOLENT, VIOLENT NATURE THAT HAVE PROVEN TIME AND TIME AGAIN BASED ON THEIR BEHAVIOR THAT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO ADDRESS THEIR BEHAVIOR THROUGH ANY TYPE OF PROGRAMING. THE REPORT ALSO HIGHLIGHTS LONG STANDING ISSUES WITH STAFFING, MENTAL HEALTH POSITIONS AT CORRECTIONS. AS OF FEBRUARY, NEARLY 36% OF THE POSITIONS ARE UNFILLED. THE DEPARTMENT HAS ADDED MORE THAN 40 MENTAL HEALTH POSITIONS SINCE 2016, BUT ONLY HAD THREE MORE TOTAL POSITIONS FILLED THAN IT DID THEN. BUT KOBERNICK AND THE DEPARTMENT SAY THERE’S BEEN IMPROVEMENT IN THE LAST YEAR, A VIOLENCE REDUCTION PROGRAM WAS ENDED IN EARLY 2024 BECAUSE IT WAS FOUND TO BE INEFFECTIVE. KOBERNICK HIGHLIGHTED. IT STILL DOESN’T HAVE A REPLACEMENT. THE DEPARTMENT SAYS CLINICIANS CREATE INDIVIDUAL TREATMENT PLANS. THE FULL REPORT, INCLUDING RESPONSES FROM THE STATE, WILL BE FOUND IN THIS STO
Nebraska Inspector General raises concerns on mental health in correctional facilities
Updated: 8:51 AM CDT Oct 27, 2025
A report released last week by the Office of Inspector General of the Nebraska Correctional System raises concerns over mental health services and how inmates with mental conditions are handled.Inspector General Doug Koebernick’s report says the department may be violating state law by placing inmates with diagnosed serious mental illnesses in longer-term restrictive housing.The report says that as of August, 25 of the 104 inmates in restrictive housing had a diagnosed serious mental illness.The department says it is not breaking the law.The report also discusses staffing shortages, living conditions, and programming. The full report, which includes responses from the department, is here.Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |
OMAHA, Neb. —
A report released last week by the Office of Inspector General of the Nebraska Correctional System raises concerns over mental health services and how inmates with mental conditions are handled.
Inspector General Doug Koebernick’s report says the department may be violating state law by placing inmates with diagnosed serious mental illnesses in longer-term restrictive housing.
The report says that as of August, 25 of the 104 inmates in restrictive housing had a diagnosed serious mental illness.
The department says it is not breaking the law.
The report also discusses staffing shortages, living conditions, and programming.
The full report, which includes responses from the department, is here.
Make sure you can always see the latest news, weather, sports and more from KETV NewsWatch 7 on Google search.
NAVIGATE: Home | Weather | Local News | National | Sports | Newscasts on demand |