Joni Levinson became a psychologist to help people suffering from mental health crises. She never thought she would have to help her two adopted children who are going through their own.

"We need to recognize that these kids, these families needed help yesterday," said Levinson. "It is a mental health issue. and unfortunately for most, unfortunately, will turn into a criminal issue."

To prevent this from happening to her children, Levinson quit her job to stay at home with them. She realizes most families do not have this luxury and it can mean dire consequences.

"When you bankrupt a family emotionally and then you bankrupt them financially, you don't have much of a family left," Levinson said.

To help alleviate the gap in mental health services for children, Nebraska lawmakers have voted to spend $16 million over the next two years to address problems highlighted by the drop-off of dozens of children last year under the safe-haven law.

The plan received final approval last week. It would cost about $130 million less than what was originally proposed.

The rash of drop-offs of older children prompted an emergency session last year so lawmakers could put an age limit of 30 days in the law that had been meant to prevent infants from being abandoned in trash bins or worse.

The bill (LB603) includes more counseling and other services for families who adopt foster kids and a statewide hot line families could call to find help.

Senator Amanda McGill says the legislature took the first of many steps last week when it devoted million of dollars to help pre-teens and teenagers suffering from mental illness.

"Once a child is a teenager, it is a lot harder to treat them, it is a lot harder to give them a more normal life," McGill said. "Part of that is treating kids who are younger and not just waiting until they are violent."

Still, Levinson said more needs to be done, not only to help children and their families, but also society as a whole.

"There are children who do not have to become violent offenders," Levinson said. "There are children who do not have to grow up and molest other children, or become rapists, or hurt their own children, which keeps future generations supplied."

To prevent such atrocities, Levinson said the legislature needs to provide more: more funding, more awareness, more support.

To help bring that awareness, funding and support, Joni Levinson and her husband started their own organization, Hope for Families.