Education & Training
COPE provides education and training to help primary care providers identify, treat, and manage children's mental and behavioral health conditions early.
About COPE
The Children's Outreach and Provider Education (COPE) Program is a statewide, grant-funded initiative at Children's Nebraska that supports pediatric primary care providers in addressing children's mental and behavioral health needs.
COPE bridges gaps in pediatric mental health care by connecting local clinics with child psychiatrists and behavioral health experts. Through education, consultation, and referral support, COPE helps providers build the knowledge and confidence they need to identify and manage behavioral health concerns in pediatric primary care.
Our Mission:
Strengthening Pediatric Primary Care. Expanding Access to Behavioral Health Support.
Our mission is to empower pediatric primary care providers with the knowledge, resources, and expert support they need to provide effective mental and behavioral health care for children and families.
By bringing behavioral health expertise closer to where children already receive care, COPE works to improve access to timely, appropriate, and effective support across Nebraska.
Meet the COPE Team
Our team works with pediatric primary care providers across Nebraska to provide education, consultation, and connections to behavioral health resources.
Jennifer McWilliams, MD, MS, DFAACAP
Clinical Service Chief in the Department of Behavioral Health and the Director for Virtual Care and the Children’s Outreach and Provider Education (COPE) Program at Children's Nebraska. She attended medical school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and completed her residency and fellowship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. She also has a Master’s degree in Health Care Delivery Science from Dartmouth. Dr. McWilliams has been seeing patients in rural Nebraska and Iowa for the past 12 years using telemedicine technology.
Andrea Riley, BA, BSN, RN
Andrea has been a Registered Nurse for over 20 years, focusing on pediatrics and public health, and has been with Children’s Nebraska since 2022. Before starting with the COPE program, Andrea was the School Health Liaison at Children’s, providing education and consultation to school nurses and districts statewide and working with state agencies to improve the health of children. She now works on outreach and communication to primary care providers and facilitates education and training to help them serve the increasing mental and behavioral health needs of their pediatric patients.
Sabrina Schalley, LCSW, LMHP
Sabrina has been a practicing Social Worker in Omaha for over 30 years and is a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner following degrees at Creighton University and University of Nebraska Omaha’s Grace Abbott School of Social Work. Before working as a leader in Social Work and Behavioral Health, including nine years currently at Children’s Nebraska, Sabrina worked extensively with children and adolescents as a therapist and program supervisor. Over the past five years, Sabrina has served as Children’s Nebraska’s project manager implementing the Zero Suicide modality and is the current Director of Behavioral Health Integration. Preventing youth suicide and improving the lives of children and their families remains a lifelong career goal.
Supporting Providers Across Nebraska
COPE serves pediatric primary care providers and clinical teams caring for children and adolescents across Nebraska, with a particular focus on rural and underserved communities where access to pediatric behavioral health specialists may be limited. Through education, expert consultation, and referral support, COPE helps providers build their capacity to address behavioral health needs and connect children and families with appropriate services.
Provider Consultations
Providers can access direct, peer-to-peer guidance from licensed mental health experts and child psychiatrists to support clinical decision-making and patient care.
Referral & Linkage
COPE helps providers connect children and families with the appropriate level of ongoing behavioral health care and community-based resources.
Program Goals
Improving Pediatric Behavioral Health Care Across Nebraska
COPE works toward several key goals:
Address critical shortages in rural and underserved Nebraska communities by connecting pediatric primary care providers with behavioral health specialists and child psychiatrists.
Support providers in recognizing and addressing emotional and behavioral health concerns during routine pediatric visits, before concerns escalate into more significant crises.
Give pediatric primary care providers practical knowledge, education, and expert consultation so they can more confidently manage behavioral health needs within their practices.
Help providers identify appropriate behavioral health services and connect children and families with the level of care they need.
Improve primary care management of behavioral health conditions and help reduce unnecessary specialty referrals and medication costs when appropriate.
Why COPE Matters
Bringing Behavioral Health Support Closer to Children
Children don't always need to leave their primary care setting to begin addressing mental and behavioral health concerns. By strengthening the connection between pediatric primary care and behavioral health expertise, COPE helps providers recognize concerns earlier, make informed treatment decisions, and connect families with additional support when needed.
COPE helps make behavioral health care a more integrated part of pediatric primary care.
