Highlights of the September 25 Safe and Successful Kids Interlocal Meeting

September 25, 2025

The Safe and Successful Kids (SSK) Interlocal Board, composed of members from both the Lincoln Board of Education and the City of Lincoln, held their regular meeting on Thursday, Sept. 25 at the City/County Building. 

2025-2026 Election of officers

City Council member James Michael Bowers was elected chair, Lincoln Board of Education member Annie Mumgaard was elected vice chair.

Review of annual report on mental health services

Staff from Lincoln Public Schools presented an update on mental health services and supports in schools and how it relates to school safety. The SSK Interlocal Agreement funds a portion of the mental health supports that were highlighted during the presentation.

The Threat Assessment Team assesses and manages targeted violence risk. They also help support staff, students and families by creating safety plans, connecting families to services, aligning school supports, and ensuring continuity of care.

The Threat Assessment Team works collaboratively with the Lincoln Police Department, and aligns with national standards on targeted violence management. Members of the Threat Assessment Team include LPS Security Coordinator Sarah Balcom, LPS Safety Social Work Coordinator Allyson Headrick, LPS Safety Social Worker Kristi Lange, LPS Violence Prevention Psychotherapist Liesel Hogan, Director of Security Joseph Wright and Lincoln Police Department Investigator Nate Hill.

The majority of referrals to the Threat Assessment Team are initiated by schools to the team. Reports are also shared through the green Safe to Say button on the LPS website, the Safe2Help Nebraska website, and phone calls to the Lincoln Police Department. Anyone in the community can report a safety concern. 

The social workers on the Threat Assessment Team specialize in violence prevention and management of targeted violence, eliminate barriers for behavioral health supports and align therapeutic practices with multi-tiered systems of support.

LPS Social Work Coordinator Andrea Phillips also shared information about collaboration efforts between LPS and community therapist agencies.

Schools integrate community mental health support through the Multi-Tiered Student Support for Behavior as mental health directly impacts behavior. There are therapists located in schools and social workers use data to manage referrals.

Students who are candidates for school-based therapy are those who experience significant life stressors and/or disruption in multiple areas of their life, exhibit mental health symptoms, are unsuccessful with lower-level interventions, there are barriers to participation outside of school and are willing to participate.

Through the interlocal collaboration, roughly 366 students were served by community agencies in school last school year. This is in addition to other students who receive support through other programs.

 

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