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Nebraska Medicine outlines community benefit priorities, cites $307 million broader community-health spending
Summary
Becky Jackson of Nebraska Medicine presented the system’s community benefit and community health priorities to the Douglas County Board of Health, highlighting cancer screening, behavioral health, nutrition and prenatal care and reporting that a $307 million "broader community health" category includes about $239 million in cash and in-kind contributions tied to academic clinical practice.
Becky Jackson, a Nebraska Medicine representative, told the Douglas County Board of Health that the system’s recently approved community health implementation plan focuses on cancer screening, behavioral health, nutrition and prenatal health over the next two-plus years. "We want to focus on those high-incidence cancers, early detection and care," Jackson said, emphasizing community screening events and navigation supports.
Jackson described outreach programs including a drive‑through "Break for Breakfast" event and a "one‑stop cancer shop" that provided 93 screenings at two sites in Omaha this fall. She said 83% of attendees at the most recent event reported improved feelings of medical mistrust on a five‑point scale, with an average improvement of nearly four points.
On workforce and academic ties, Jackson explained Nebraska Medicine’s clinical operations and UNMC’s academic role are closely aligned: many providers are dually employed and the system’s community health activities include physician training. That academic relationship explains why the board sees a large "broader community health" figure in Nebraska Medicine’s reporting: "Of the $307 million, about $239 million is the cash and in‑kind contributions portion," Jackson said, describing that bucket as largely supporting academic clinical practice and training for UNMC students and faculty.
Jackson also described behavioral‑health access efforts, including a behavioral health connections program available to community members (by phone, email or occasional in‑person sessions) and partnerships to expand mental‑health first aid training. For nutrition and physical activity, she cited diabetes prevention cohorts, a "food as medicine" series and partnerships to expand healthy food access, including coordination with local food banks and the mayor’s office.
The presentation included fiscal figures for Nebraska Medicine’s most recent published period (fiscal 2024) and a preview that fiscal 2025 reporting will be finalized in June. Board members asked specific questions about how Nebraska Medicine engages local schools, how community benefit totals are composed, and how behavioral‑health services are accessed; Jackson replied with program examples and contact channels for the behavioral health connection team.
The presentation closed with Jackson describing community volunteer programs and the system’s community health navigators, who reconnect nearly half of referred individuals to primary care. "Increasing access is most important," she said.
The board did not take formal action on the presentation. The department’s next regular meeting was announced for June 17.
