The largest wildfires in Nebraska history have left many communities focused on restoring the land but the emotional toll of those disasters often comes later.
That’s where a partnership between Nebraska Extension and the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska, known as BHECN, comes in.
BHECN has joined Nebraska Extension’s disaster response to help address behavioral and mental health needs in wildfire‑affected communities. The collaboration includes the creation of a statewide resource guide designed to help residents, youth and providers navigate mental health challenges following natural disasters.
“There’s kind of this survival mode where you’re just trying to get through the immediate situation,” said Dr. Marley Doyle, director of BHECN and an associate professor of psychiatry at UNMC. “Then there’s this rallying phase where communities really come together. But after that comes the grief and realization phase — and that’s often when mental health concerns peak.”
BHECN was created by the Nebraska Legislature in 2009 and is housed at UNMC. Its primary mission is to lead statewide efforts to recruit, train and retain behavioral health professionals. But Doyle said the organization was ready to step into a broader support role as wildfires burned across western and central Nebraska this spring.
“Hearing firsthand how people have been affected, it’s heart‑wrenching,” Doyle said.
Nebraska Extension launched a comprehensive disaster response following the fires, assembling a wildfire task force to address a wide range of needs, from agriculture and finance to community recovery. Behavioral health quickly became part of that conversation.
Extension offices have a physical presence in most Nebraska counties and work directly with local communities, farmers and ranchers — making them a natural access point for mental health resources, Doyle said.
“They’re really good at bringing people and resources together,” she said. “It speaks to the importance of relationships when you’re doing this work. It seemed natural that we jumped on this task force.”
As part of the partnership, BHECN and Nebraska Extension developed a “Behavioral Health Resources after Natural Disasters” guide, a one‑stop collection of free and accessible tools. The guide includes links to hotlines, trainings, webinars and other resources for community members, youth and behavioral health providers.
The guide is designed to be used at any phase of disaster recovery and can be accessed online or in printable form through local Extension offices.
“You don’t necessarily have to talk to anyone yet,” Doyle told the Rural Radio Network. “It’s meant to be a starting point — something people can use on their own if that feels more comfortable.”
Doyle noted that mental health challenges don’t always appear immediately after a disaster. While communities often experience a surge of support in the early weeks — including benefit events and volunteer efforts — that support can fade just as deeper emotional impacts surface.
“Around three or four months out, people can really start to feel the weight of what’s happened,” she said in an interview. “That’s why it’s so important to have behavioral health resources available over the long term.”
Doyle emphasized that mental health is inseparable from physical health, particularly after prolonged stress.
“You can’t have one without the other,” she said. “And when people do open up, they often realize they’re not the only one going through this.”
BHECN site co‑directors — based in six regions across the state — are working within their own communities as part of local wildfire responses. BHECN representatives are also participating in Nebraska Extension‑led meetings with federal and state partners in Arthur, Brady and Oshkosh on April 8, 9 and 10.
The behavioral health resource guide is available through local Nebraska Extension offices and online at disaster.unl.edu.