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HHS Awards $127.7 Million to Expand CCBHC Program
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced on Thursday that it has designated $127.7 million to expand the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) program across the US.
Under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act (BSCA), the awards will enable up to 10 additional states to create state CCBHC programs under Medicaid every 2 years, starting in 2024, providing sustainable funding for CCBHC services to Medicaid beneficiaries.
CCBHCs are required to provide a specified range of behavioral healthcare services, including crisis care 24 hours per day and 7 days a week, as well as routine outpatient care within 10 business days after initial contact.
“CCBHCs serve anyone who asks for help for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay, and in turn, people being served by CCBHCs experience less homelessness, less illegal substance use, and reduced use of jails, prisons, emergency rooms and hospitals for behavioral health issues,” Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, PhD, HHS assistant secretary for mental health and substance use and the leader of SAMHSA, said in a news release. “This is a model of care that truly works to serve the whole community.”
The first CCBHCs were funded under Medicaid in 2017, with the launch of 67 clinics in an 8-state demonstration program. Currently, there are 500 CCBHCs operating in 46 states, Washington, DC, Guam, and Puerto Rico.
The awarded funds announced on Thursday include 128 grants to health clinics in 40 states and Puerto Rico, with each grantee receiving up to $1 million per year for 4 years. Of the 128 total grants, 63 totaling $62.8 million were designated for assist clinics to establish and implement new CCBHC programs through the CCBHC Planning, Development, and Implementation (CCBHC-PDI) grant. The remaining 65 grants totaling $64.9 million will be used to enhance and support existing CCBHCs through the CCBHC Improvement and Advancement grant program.
The National Council for Mental Wellbeing provides support to stakeholders interested in learning about the CCBHC model or are pursuing implementation. Rebecca Farley David, the National Council’s special advisor of public policy and special initiatives, said the organization was pleased with Thursday’s grant announcement.
“We're very excited to see the announcement of the grants today—thrilled for all the organizations that received grants,” she told Behavioral Healthcare Executive. “I think this is another exciting step towards the future expansion of this program and one that will help bring CCBHC services to a lot more communities.
“The grant funding is an incredibly helpful source of support for clinics that want to go after a CCBHC status as their states are considering putting CCBHCs into place in Medicaid. And in that way, these 2 programs—the demonstration program in Medicaid and the grant program through SAMHSA—are quite complementary.”
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