Roughly 70 experts and service providers laid groundwork Tuesday for preventing mental and behavioral crises in older Nebraska children whose parents and guardians can't find them help.

Lincoln Sen. Amanda McGill, who is leading a task force of seven state senators trying to find solutions for families, said the first all-day meeting was "very productive."

The group met at Boys Town’s national headquarters in Omaha. More meetings are planned on Dec. 10 and 18.

McGill said several themes emerged during small group discussions, which were facilitated  by Creighton University's Werner Institute for Negotiation and Dispute Resolution. They included the need for an access point for families needing services, resources, early intervention and crisis management.

Nebraska stood in the national spotlight from mid-September to late November, as 27 parents and guardians used the state’s safe haven law to drop off children and adolescents, saying they were out of options to help them.

"This is a top priority, without question," said Omaha Sen. Brad Ashford, Judiciary Committee chairman and ex-officio member of the task force. "It will be dealt with."

The first meeting reinforced the fact the state is full of professionals who serve children and families and can create solutions that will work in a public-private partnership, Ashford said.

Topher Hansen, executive  director of Lincoln's CenterPointe, which helps people with mental health and substance abuse problems, said one solution small groups discussed was more local control, with regions in charge of delivering services rather than the state.

"The focus should be on consumers, not systems," Hansen said.

The system now focuses on controlling costs, he said, rather providing care. If the focus is on getting kids care, Hansen said, it actually saves money when those children become adults and avoid jail or extended high-level mental health care.

Father Steven Boes, Boys Town national executive director, said that in bringing together so many people to brainstorm solutions, the true town hall concept was reborn Tuesday.

The problems of older children have come to light against a backdrop of disintegrating family life in this country and an emphasis on a "very individualistic" culture, he said.

Studies show that 5 percent to 20 percent of U.S. children have been diagnosed with mental illnesses, he said. Those with serious mental illnesses would be in the 5 percent range.

Sometimes, he said, experts find it's easier to label children and give them medication than find an alternative way of helping them learn or get along in life.

"Children are way overmedicated," he said.

Some children coming to Boys Town for treatment take three to four high-powered psychiatric medications that may or may not be effective, he said. Frequently when they leave, they are taking one medication that is less powerful.

It’s hard to know whether to prescribe drugs or forgo medications that may be helpful, he said.

“It’s an ethical dilemma.”

McGill said that next week the task force and working group will get down to details of plans and solutions as well as funding ideas. Those need to be completed by the time the Legislature meets beginning Jan. 7.

Reach JoAnne Young at 473-7228 or jyoung@journalstar.com.