SAMHSA Selects Eight States for further CCBHC Work

In March 2014, Congress passed the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (H.R. 4302). The legislation included provisions of the Excellence in Mental Health Act — an eight-state demonstration program and the single largest investment in community behavioral health in more than 50 years. The law aimed to improve quality and access to behavioral health services through the creation of federal criteria for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) as entities to serve adults with serious mental illness, children with serious emotional disturbance, and those with long term and serious substance use disorders, as well as others with mental illness and substance use disorders.

Twenty-five million dollars in planning grants were available to states to develop applications to participate in a two-year CCBHC demonstration program. Oregon applied for, and was one of 24 states awarded a planning grant, as the program aligns with the state’s broader health care transformation efforts, enabling Oregon to further advance behavioral health care for Oregonians. Only states awarded a planning grant were eligible to apply for the demonstration program grant. The Oregon Health Authority subsequently submitted an application to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) to be considered for participation in the 2017-2019 CCBHC Demonstration Program.

In December 2016, Oregon was selected as one of eight demonstration states. The other awardees are: Minnesota, Missouri, New York, New Jersey, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania. The demonstration project will support 20 CCBHCs around Oregon. The following services must be offered through the CCBHC:
Crisis mental health services including 24-hour mobile crisis teams, emergency crisis intervention and crisis stabilization
Screening, assessment and diagnosis including risk management
Patient-centered treatment planning
Outpatient mental health and substance use services
Primary care screening and monitoring
Targeted case-management
Psychiatric rehabilitation services
Peer support, counseling services, and family support services
Services for members of the armed services and veterans
Connections with other providers and systems (criminal justice, foster care, child welfare, education, primary care, hospitals, etc.)

The CCBHC Demonstration Advisory Group recently held their first meeting and will continue to meet through the coming year.

Reference Links:

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – News Releases

What is a CCBHC?

CCBHC Locations

Contributed by: Stacy Michaelson, AOC Health and Human Services Policy Manager