State Designates the BRIDGE as Family Resource & Juvenile Assessment Center for North Omaha

Staff and partners of The BRIDGE and North Omaha Community Partnership at the kickoff event for the Family Resource and Juvenile Assessment Center.

New pilot brings 24-hour access to mental health, mentoring, and basic needs services, with no financial barriers to

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has officially designated The Bridge Family Resource Connector Network as a Family Resource and Juvenile Assessment Center (FRJAC), establishing a new state-backed hub of coordinated services for youth and families.

The designation, awarded through a competitive application process conducted in spring 2026, positions The Bridge as the managing partner for a pilot program funded through Nebraska Legislative Bills LB 48 (2025), sponsored by Sen. McKinney and LB 1071 (2026), sponsored by Sen. Arch.

North Omaha Community Partnership will serve as the Lead Program Partner and will operate the program’s 24-hour Blueprint Access Center, located in the Benson neighborhood.

Access to services carries no financial threshold. Any family in need may walk through the door.

Services available through the center include:

  • 24-hour access to the Blueprint Access Center
  • Mental and behavioral health support
  • Mentoring and tutoring
  • Assistance with basic needs

No single organization delivers every service directly. The Bridge has built a network of local community partners who will provide services on the ground. A full partner list will be made public once contracts are finalized. Those partners will have a seat at the table as the program grows and improves.

Critically, the people the program serves will also have a voice in how it runs. Both youth and parent leaders are actively being consulted in the program’s design and ongoing advisement.

“We connect families to the right resources at the right time,” said Marian Fey, Executive Director of The Bridge. “This designation allows us to do that at a scale and with a level of coordination that can meet multiple family needs.”

Tamika Mease, Executive Director of NOCP said, “We want every young person who walks through these doors to know that they are seen, supported, and connected to people who will help them move forward. This center belongs to the community, and we are excited about what we can build together.”

 “I’m happy to see that DHHS has designated a Family Resource and Juvenile Assessment Center in North Omaha. It’s my hope that through the work of the partners involved, our community will start to see positive results in connecting families and youth to resources, while also decreasing overall system involvement,” said Sen. McKinney. “This is an important step, and I’m looking forward to seeing the impact this center can have on our families and young people.”

A partner kickoff event was held in June to begin aligning the organizations that will make up the service network. A formal program evaluation framework is being built alongside implementation to measure impact throughout the pilot period.

All program funding flows through The Bridge via a reimbursement model tied to services delivered.

 

For more information or to connect with services, visit bridgefamilynetwork.org or call (402) 384-4670.