Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs)

CCBHCs must meet standards for the range of services they provide and they are required to get people into care quickly. An important feature of the CCBHC model is that it requires crisis services that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. CCBHCs are required to provide a comprehensive array of behavioral health services so that people who need care are not caught trying to piece together the behavioral health support they need across multiple providers. In addition, CCBHCs must provide care coordination to help people navigate behavioral health care, physical health care, social services, and the other systems they are involved in.

CCBHCs can be supported through the CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration, through SAMHSA administered CCBHC Expansion (CCBHC-E) Grants, or through independent state programs.

Criteria

SAMHSA developed criteria (PDF | 760 KB) for certifying community behavioral health clinics in compliance with the statutory requirements outlined under Section 223 of PAMA. These criteria, which establish a basic level of service at which a CCBHC should operate, fall into six key program areas:

1. Staffing – Staffing plan driven by local needs assessment, licensing, and training to support service delivery
2. Availability and Accessibility of Services – Standards for timely and meaningful access to services, outreach and engagement, 24/7 access to crisis services, treatment planning, and acceptance of all patients regardless of ability to pay or place of residence
3. Care Coordination – Care coordinate agreements across services and providers (e.g., Federally Qualified Health Centers, inpatient and acute care), defining accountable treatment team, health information technology, and care transitions
4. Scope of Services – Nine required services, as well as person-centered, family-centered, and recovery-oriented care
5. Quality and Other Reporting – 21 quality measures, a plan for quality improvement, and tracking of other program requirements 
6. Organizational Authority and Governance – Consumer representation in governance, appropriate state accreditation

Pending Update to the CCBHC Criteria

SAMHSA is updating the Certification Criteria through a process which will include significant opportunity for public comment. The updated criteria have not yet been released. SAMHSA intends to keep the existing framework for the criteria, which is included in statute (42 U.S.C.§ 1396a).

Required Services

CCBHCs are required to provide nine core services, which they can provide directly or via formal relationships with Designated Collaborating Organizations (DCOs):

1. Crisis Services
2. Treatment Planning
3. Screening, Assessment, Diagnosis & Risk Assessment
4. Outpatient Mental Health & Substance Use Services
5. Targeted Case Management
6. Outpatient Primary Care Screening and Monitoring
7. Community-Based Mental Health Care for Veterans
8. Peer, Family Support & Counselor Services
9. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services

CCBHCs Across the United States

Currently, there are over 450 CCBHCs operating across the country, as either CCBHC-E grantees or clinics participating in their states’ Medicaid demonstration.

CCBHC-Expansion Grant Program Funding Announcements

• FY 2021 National Training and Technical Assistance Center for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion Grants
• FY 2021 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion Grants
• FY 2020 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion Grants
• FY 2018 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Expansion Grants
• FY 2016 Planning Grants for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics

Resources

• Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Demonstration Program: Report to Congress, 2020
• Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Demonstration Program: Report to Congress, 2019
• Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics Demonstration Program: Report to Congress, 2018
• Section 223 Demonstration Program for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics