HHS Announces Funding for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics

On March 24, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced via a press release two funding opportunities for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) expansion—totaling $123.6 million. The CCBHC Planning, Development, and Implementation (CCBHC-PDI) grant will help clinics create and implement new CCBHC programs. The CBHC Improvement and Advancement (CCBHC–IA) grant aims to grow and support existing CCBHCs that are currently meeting the CCBHC Certification Criteria.

The release states that “CCBHCs were created to transform mental health and substance use treatment across the country and provide sustainable funding for robust community outpatient mental health treatment. CCBHCs are required to provide a range of services, including crisis services that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.”

The first CCBHCs were funded under Medicaid in 2017—with 67 operating in eight states. Currently, there are more than 500 CCBHCs in 46 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

“Last week, with funding made possible through the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, HHS awarded 15 states each with $1 million, one-year CCBHC planning grants, the first time these planning grants have been available since the program began in 2015,” the release adds. “In 2024, up to 10 of those will participate in the CCBHC Medicaid demonstration program and receive enhanced Medicaid reimbursement. The full CCBHC demonstration program provides reimbursement through Medicaid for the full cost of services that CCBHCs provide, at higher, more competitive rates than community mental health centers previously received. This sustainable funding also ensures they can provide a more comprehensive range of services rather than fragmented services driven by billing codes. The President’s FY24 budget proposes to make this demonstration model permanent, thereby expanding access to behavioral health services for all Americans and calls for historic funding to support the expansion of mental health and substance use care.”

CCBHCs are required to meet a number of criteria including:

• Meeting federal standards for the range of services that they provide and are required to connect people with care quickly
• See people in crisis quickly and provide routine outpatient care within 10 business days after initial contact
• Ensure access to a full range of services
• Serve those who request help regardless of their ability to play, place of residence, or age

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra was quoted in the release saying that “The expansion of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics is part of President Biden’s commitment to expand and strengthen equitable access to behavioral health services for all Americans. These clinics serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay, and connect people to the care they need.”