Nebraska Harm Reduction Program

04/06/2026

https://livesradioshow.com/episode/paul-weishapl-s3e156

UNMC's Paul Weishapl talks about addiction, overdose, purpose in recovery, and helping Nebraska rethink what it means to save lives with compassion.

04/02/2026

If you want to make a positive change, it requires attention—Miah Sommer The Bike Union / The Coffee Union Miah’s conversation with Stuart is now in iTunes. http://ow.ly/nSkG30h66l8

04/02/2026

🚨 The Unseen Crisis in Rural Nebraska which is
Nebraska is facing a dual crisis that is leaving our rural neighbors behind in the fight against addiction. While the tools for recovery exist, thousands of Nebraskans are physically and digitally cut off from help.
📉 The Reality of the “Double Gap”
• A Treatment Desert: 88 out of 93 Nebraska counties are currently underserved for addiction treatment.
• Zero Local Help: 29 counties have absolutely no behavioral health providers, and 78 counties lack a single practicing psychiatrist.
• The Broadband Barrier: Telehealth is often the only hope, yet 10 counties have zero broadband access, making virtual care physically impossible.
• Reliability Issues: Only 26% of rural residents have “very dependable” internet, compared to 50% in urban areas.
💔 The Human Cost
• Access Gap: Only 10% of Nebraskans struggling with substance use disorder receive any form of treatment.
• Provider Concentration: 84% of the state’s psychiatrists practice exclusively in metro areas like Omaha and Lincoln.
• Frontier Struggles: Residents in “frontier” counties often live 60+ minutes away from the nearest urban center or treatment facility.
💰 A Missed Opportunity
Nebraska has been allocated $405 million in federal BEAD funds to fix rural broadband. However:
• Only 9% of that funding is currently designated for fiber deployment—the lowest percentage among 39 peer states.
• While neighbors like Iowa and Kansas are investing 22% to 27% in fiber, Nebraska’s current plan risks leaving 10,000+ rural locations with unreliable satellite or wireless connections.
Recovery shouldn’t depend on your zip code. It is time to prioritize infrastructure that connects every Nebraskan to the life-saving care they deserve.
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Does your Nebraska community have reliable internet?

04/01/2026

You know what stops people from getting help for substance use?

Shame. Fear of judgment. Worry that people will think they’re a bad person.
It’s called stigma. And it’s the biggest reason people stay silent instead of reaching out.
We can change that. It starts with how we talk about it.


Where do you think stigma is the most intense for people who use drugs in Nebraska?

03/30/2026

Opioid withdrawal can be excruciating and nearly impossible to get through without medical attention.

03/21/2026

As prohibition get more prohibitive, the drug supply inevitably becomes more dangerous.

Lab-made drugs soaked into the pages of letters, books and even legal documents are being smuggled behind bars, killing inmates and frustrating investigators.

02/24/2026

The Omaha Checkup with Film Streams continues in March with a free screening of THE WHITE HOUSE EFFECT! A riveting look at a key moment in the history of the climate crisis, the film travels back in time to document how a crucial opportunity to take real action on global warming was not just squandered but deliberately undermined.

Prior to the screening, attendees are invited to indulge in heavy hors d'oeuvres from Fifth House at 6 pm in the Film Streams lobby. Be sure to stay after for a panel discussion about the film, the climate crisis and what we can do in our community.

Woven entirely of archival material, the documentary focuses on the pivotal years of the George H.W. Bush administration—1988 to 1992—when the entire country was waking up to the reality of global warming and Bush had pledged to use “the White House effect” to tackle it.

📅 Mon, Mar 2, 6:30 pm | The Ruth Sokolof Theater:
Register here: https://filmstreams.org/films/the-white-house-effect

02/17/2026

On this Valentine’s Day, we honor those who love through judgment, stigma, and misunderstanding.

Hurtful words don’t just affect one person. They impact families, partners, parents, and loved ones who care deeply.

We see you. ❤️ Your love matters. Your love makes a difference.

02/17/2026

When people hear “opioids,” they often think only of illegal drugs.

Many of the most powerful opioids are prescription medications used every day for pain management. Just because it is a prescription doesn’t mean it won't cause an accidental overdose.

Opioid emergencies can happen to anyone. Have NARCAN on hand, just in case.

02/17/2026

Nebraska Harm Reduction Program was featured in a recent Flatwater Free Press article.

“It’s clear that there’s underreporting based on our existing systems, and that’s unfortunate because everything we do depends on understanding what’s going on in the community. … If you don’t, it’s like driving a car without headlights,” said Dr. Ali Khan, dean of the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s College of Public Health.

Story by Destiny Herbers. Photo by Rebecca S. Gratz for the Flatwater Free Press.

The Nebraska Harm Reduction Program is a community-based program that combines the leadership of a lived-experience instructor with the evidence-based support of UNMC College of Public Health to help address this issue.

Read the full article: https://go.unmc.edu/ffp-nhr-2025

02/01/2026

https://apnews.com/article/mexico-vaping-cartels-china-sheinbaum-organized-crime-1f8c5cdc2c180a2e909bf49ba499c295 #

Organized crime in Mexico is tightening its grip on the v**e market, a $1.5 billion industry. The country recently banned the sale of electronic ci******es, though not their use.

01/22/2026