UPDATE:
Officials at Regional West Medical Center tell KNEB News their Behavioral Health Unit will be able to open sooner than previously announced.
An update received Friday, July 18 from Regional West President and CEO Ned Resch says “We are pleased to announce that the Regional West Behavioral Health Unit will reopen on Monday, July 21, at 5 a.m. We want to thank everyone for their patience while we added additional employees to return to providing mental health services. Although the temporary closure wasn’t optimal, we were able to complete some updates to the facility during the downtime. We look forward to returning to providing these essential services for our patients.”
Original story published by KNEB News July 17, 2025:
The shortage of mental health professionals across Nebraska is posing additional challenges in our area with a temporary closure of the Behavioral Health Unit at Regional West Medical Center in Scottsbluff.
Regional West has been the only health care facility in the Panhandle with the resources for individuals that law enforcement has determined may need immediate, acute mental health assistance.
The Bridgeport News-Blade last week reported that Morrill County Sheriff Milo Cardenas told his county board of the situation at a recent meeting, which was verified by KNEB News through a conversation with Scotts Bluff County Sheriff Mark Overman.
Overman says his agency was told of the local staffing shortage and the need for diversions around mid-June, which impacts cases where Emergency Protective Custody, also called an “EPC”, is needed. He said the situation impacts not only his jurisdiction, but also those throughout the Panhandle.
Following an inquiry by KNEB News, Regional West President and CEO Ned Resch responded with a statement, saying “Like many rural healthcare entities providing inpatient acute mental health services, Regional West experiences periodic staffing shortages and coverage challenges. We remain committed to providing these services and are excited to announce the hiring of two new full-time Psychiatrists. Both physicians start in the coming months and will provide stability and coverage for patients in need of acute mental health services. We appreciate the partnership with our surrounding first responders and are deeply grateful for the work they do stabilizing and transporting patients with acute needs.”
Overman says for now and until the diversion from RWMC is ended, EPC cases will require transport to the hospital in North Platte. However, if a bed isn’t available at that facility, transport would take such individuals, and one or two officers, to healthcare facilities even farther east.
Nebraska statutes do not allow EPC cases to be treated out-of-state, even if there’s a medical facility nearby that could meet the needs of the individuals needing immediate treatment.