Nebraska Governor appoints state’s new behavioral health director

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) - The state of Nebraska has a new behavioral health director.

Gov. Jim Pillen on Tuesday appointed Dr. Thomas Janousek to lead the behavioral health division in the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services. He will assume the role next Monday.

Dr. Janousek has served in a deputy director capacity within the state’s behavior health wing since October 2022 after spending time as a neuropsychologist at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospital in Lincoln.

As mental health issues continue to become more prominent in Nebraska and across the globe, Dr. Janousek shared his vision for ways the state DHHS can help combat the worsening epidemic.

“We need more crisis and community-based service options across our state, and we need to address those barriers which make it difficult for individuals to engage with the public behavioral health system,” Dr. Janousek said in a press release from the Governor’s office Tuesday.

Dr. Janousek takes over for Tony Green, who is the department’s developmental disabilities director and was serving as interim behavioral health director while the state searched for a candidate to fill the position.

“Over the years, Director Green has led several divisions on an interim basis for DHHS. He has been a steady presence in the agency, and I deeply appreciate his commitment to state public service,” Gov. Pillen said in the release.

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