When the Nebraska Legislature considered a bill this past legislative session that would have harmed youth in state custody by forcing a cascading series of transfers between facilities and the closure the Whitehall facility in Lincoln, NAPE/AFSCME union members united to educate State Senators about the harms the bill would cause.
Along with our coalition partners, our union members successfully lobbied senators and the Nebraska Legislature voted 40-0 to defeat the bill. To address concerns about the treatment of youth in state custody, the Legislature’s Health and Human Services Committee held an interim study hearing on June 30.
The hearing focused on the Whitehall facility in Lincoln, which is a psychiatric residential treatment facility for male youth in need of substance abuse and sexual violence rehabilitation. NAPE/AFSCME union members who work at the facility are highly skilled and trained professionals.
The Whitehall facility has had numerous physical plant issues and is in need of major renovation and repairs. Much of the hearing focused on whether the repairs needed at Whitehall should be made, or whether moving the youth to another facility would be more feasible.
The chief legal officer for the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS) testified that youth at the Whitehall facility cannot be moved to another facility like a YRTC without a change in statute and securing licensure for that facility to become a psychiatric residential treatment facility. DHHS testified that it would prefer to close the Whitehall campus and move the youth to the YRTC in Hastings.
Senator Merv Riepe (Ralston) was critical of DHHS, suggesting that DHHS was focused solely on the easiest plan based on physical facility, versus the actual needs of the youth in state custody. Senator Dan Quick (Grand Island) also echoed those concerns. “It’s about the kids, but it seems like we’re talking more about the buildings than we are about the kids. I just don’t want to see any of these juveniles fall through the cracks,” Quick said.
Our union remains concerned about the ability to appropriately staff a skilled psychiatric residential treatment facility in Hastings. Our members have repeatedly said they will not accept a transfer from Lincoln to Hastings if the Whitehall facility is closed.
Our union will continue efforts in the next legislative session to protect the vital services our members provide at the Whitehall facility. We expect legislation to be introduced on this issue in January 2027.