Nevada Leaders Celebrate Senate Bill 165 and Kickoff of Children's Behavioral Health Workforce Efforts

State, higher education, and community partners gathered to celebrate Senate Bill 165 (2025) and kick off collaborative efforts to strengthen the behavioral health workforce serving Nevada's children. The event, hosted in partnership with Senator Rochelle Nguyen and the Las Vegas Aces Foundation, marked the beginning of work to design new education and training pathways at Nevada System of Higher Education (NSHE) institutions.

Senate Bill 165 creates Nevada's new Behavioral Health and Wellness Practitioner profession and directs nearly $6.5 million to NSHE and its institutions. The funding will support planning and development of efforts such as:

• bachelor's degree programs and related coursework for Behavioral Health and Wellness Practitioners
• micro-credentials in behavioral health promotion and prevention
• scholarship support to expand supervised training in children's behavioral health
  

"Senate Bill 165 shows what is possible when we bring together the strength of public leadership and private partnership," said Nevada State Senator Rochelle Nguyen. "Our collaboration with colleges, universities, providers, and partners like the Las Vegas Aces Foundation demonstrates that public–private partnership isn't just a strategy, it is the pathway to real, lasting change for Nevada's children and families."

NSHE institutions, including the University of Nevada, Reno; the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; and Great Basin College, have already started laying the groundwork for these new programs and training opportunities. Planning and development will take place over the coming months in coordination with state leaders, community partners, and organizations dedicated to children's behavioral health.

"By creating the new Behavioral Health and Wellness Practitioner license and establishing bachelor-level pathways in our colleges and universities, this bill opens the door for an entirely new generation of professionals dedicated to mental health promotion, early intervention, and wellness," said Byron Brooks, chair of the NSHE Board of Regents.

"Senate Bill 165 gives NSHE and our campuses a clear opportunity to turn policy into programs that meet Nevada's needs," said Chancellor Matt McNair. "We are grateful to Senator Nguyen and our partners for their commitment to this work, and we look forward to collaborating on the development of these pathways for students across the state."

The celebration included remarks from state and university leaders, as well as community and advocacy partners such as the Ballmer Institute for Children's Behavioral Health and the Las Vegas Aces Foundation. Attendees also viewed a short video offering an early look at collaborative efforts that will help shape these future pathways.

"This celebration is both a milestone and a starting point," said Dr. Tara Raines, Senior Director for Child Behavioral Health Dissemination at the Ballmer Institute. "Senate Bill 165 gives Nevada the tools to build a new kind of workforce, one that is trained in prevention, rooted in communities, and focused on children's well-being from the start."

NSHE and its institutions will continue collaborating with state agencies, community providers, and partners across Nevada to design programs that strengthen children's behavioral health services and expand opportunities for Nevada students.

For media inquiries or additional information, please contact Elizabeth Callahan at ecallahan@nshe.nevada.edu or 702-522-7021.

Basin College welcomed hundreds of high school students from across Nevada for the 2025 SkillsUSA Fall Leadership Conference, marking the first time since the pandemic that the statewide event has brought all regions together on a single campus.

The three-day conference, held November 20–22, provided leadership training, professional development, and opportunities for SkillsUSA student officers and members to prepare for the organization's upcoming competition and service year.

Industrial Millwright Technology Professor Norm Whittaker, who helped coordinate the event, highlighted the significance of hosting the first fully statewide gathering in several years.

There have been regional events in Reno and Las Vegas in the past, but "since COVID, this is the first [conference] they've had that covered the entire state, so this is a big deal to have everybody here at GBC," Whittaker said.

Students traveled from Wells, Spring Creek, Carlin, Winnemucca, Elko, Reno, and Carson City, with a large group of 90 students coming from Las Vegas. Whittaker noted that GBC aims to continue hosting the conference regularly, ideally on an annual or alternating-year rotation with southern Nevada schools.

The weekend remained busy with chapter-officer training, workshops, a closing ceremony, and an evening social event in the GBC gym.

Among the statewide officers present was George Ochoa Leiva, Nevada SkillsUSA state reporter and a junior at Debbie Smith CTE Academy High School in Reno.

"This event helps students learn leadership skills they can bring back to their SkillsUSA chapters," he said.

One conference activity involved students meeting with Ochoa Leiva and other state officers to complete the SkillsUSA "bingo sheet", which helps members earn the organization's prestigious Statesman Pin.

Ochoa Leiva also shared his impressions of his first visit to GBC. "It seems like a nice and peaceful area to study," he said. With programs like nursing, radiology, engineering, and mining, "it's a great place to study and go into the workforce for sure."

SkillsUSA is a national organization supporting career and technical education (CTE) students through hands-on skill development, leadership training, and professional readiness. Ochoa Leiva encouraged more Nevada students to get involved.

"It changes your life for the better," he said. "It gives you real-world skills and helps you figure out what you want to do."

By hosting the 2025 Fall Leadership Conference, Great Basin College reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to supporting CTE pathways and developing Nevada's future workforce. With strong turnout and a successful weekend of programming, GBC looks forward to continuing its partnership with SkillsUSA Nevada.

For More Information Contact

Great Basin College
1500 College Parkway
Elko, Nevada 89801

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Why Great Basin College

Great Basin College offers associate and baccalaureate level education in academic, career and technical fields. Welcoming students from all corners of the country, both online and at our various campuses and centers, GBC's presence extends across two time zones and spans more than 86,000 square miles throughout Nevada. A leader in rural higher education, GBC takes pride in developing students who are well-prepared to meet the demands of industry and who contribute to the success and prosperity of the local economy.