Gov. Heineman Names Three Directors for New Health & Human Services Department

(Lincoln, Neb.) Gov. Dave Heineman announced the appointment of three key directors who will be part of the leadership team heading up the newly created Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

On July 1, Scot Adams will become the director of the Division of Behavioral Health at HHS, and Dr. Joann Schaefer will hold the dual role of Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for the state and serve as director of the Division of Public Health.

John Hilgert of Omaha will become the Veterans’ Home Division Administrator within the current Nebraska Health and Human Services System (HHSS). On July 1, he will become the director of the new Division of Veterans’ Homes at HHS with the responsibility for overseeing operations of the state’s four veterans’ homes. Hilgert currently serves as director of the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs and will continue in that role.

The Governor previously indicated that Schaefer and Adams would head up divisions within the new department, created by LB 296, which will merge three agencies into one department charged with managing the delivery of individual and family-based programs and services in the state. The bill calls for the department to be led by a CEO and six division directors.

Adams joined the HHSS Policy Cabinet in March. Prior to his appointment, he had spent 13 years as the executive director of Catholic Charities in Omaha. He has more than 30 years experience working with Nebraska families in the areas of substance abuse treatment and individual, group and family therapy.

“Scot’s vast experience makes him the right person to oversee the delivery of mental health services in Nebraska,” Gov. Heineman said. “As director of the Division of Behavioral Health, he’ll be responsible for ensuring good management of Nebraska’s regional centers and administering funding that supports community-based services throughout the state. He has an excellent understanding of the services already available and I have confidence in his ability to continue shaping a modern mental health system for Nebraska.”

His salary will remain at $110,000.

The new Division of Public Health will regulate medical and health-related professions, and is charged with overseeing the state’s disease prevention and health promotion efforts.

Dr. Schaefer currently serves as director of the Department of Regulation & Licensure at HHSS. She plays a prominent role in Nebraska’s homeland security planning, helping coordinate the state’s bioterrorism and pandemic flu preparedness efforts. She served as Deputy CMO from 2002 to 2005. Since becoming CMO she has been very active in improving the coordination among local public health departments and advocating healthier lifestyles for all Nebraskans.

“I’ve worked with Dr. Schaefer for several years and she brings an extraordinary level of enthusiasm to her work,” Gov. Heineman said. “Her leadership has been a major factor in the national recognition our state has received in recent years as a leader in public health and public safety, and I look forward to seeing what she’ll accomplish next as the director of the Division of Public Health.”

Prior to her appointment in 2005 as CMO, Dr. Schaefer maintained a private practice and was an associate professor in the Department of Family Medicine at the Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha. Board-certified in family practice, she was honored by the Nebraska Medical Association as Physician of the Year in 2004.

Dr. Schaefer’s salary will remain at $130,921.

Beginning July 1, the Division of Veterans’ Homes will be responsible for overseeing operations at the state’s four veterans’ homes, located in Bellevue, Grand Island, Norfolk, and Scottsbluff.

Hilgert was appointed to represent District 7 residents in Nebraska Legislature in 1995 by then-Gov. Ben Nelson. He was elected to the seat in 1996 and was re-elected in 2000. He resigned in 2001 to become the Director of the Nebraska Department of Veterans’ Affairs under then-Gov. Mike Johanns. Prior to joining the Governor’s Cabinet, he worked as a senior director with Catholic Charities in Omaha.

From 1989 to 1992, Hilgert was on active duty with the U.S. Army and served in Operation Desert Storm in 1990 and 1991. He received numerous citations including the Army Commendation Medal and Saudi Arabia’s Kuwaiti Liberation Medal.

Gov. Heineman said, “Not only is John a veteran with a distinguished service record, but he brings a new level of expertise to HHS on the issues affecting the care of our veterans. This restructuring is focused on providing better service to Nebraskans, and I can think of no better place to begin than with those who defend our nation.”

A native of Omaha, Hilgert received a degree in business administration from the University of Nebraska – Lincoln. After graduating from the Creighton University School of Law in 1989, he attended the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s School in Charlottesville, Va.

His salary will be $102,500.