The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced the addition of 10 new states into the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Medicaid Demonstration Program: Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, Washington, and West Virginia. The program provides states with sustainable funding to expand access to comprehensive mental health and substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services, strengthening behavioral health systems nationwide.
Program Growth
Since the program’s launch in 2017, when 66 CCBHCs began operating across eight states, the model has grown significantly. Today, more than 500 CCBHCs operate in 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. With the current announcement, 31 of the 46 states with CCBHCs will support the CCBHC model through their Medicaid programs or the CCBHC Demonstration. The demonstration pays CCBHCs for the estimated cost of providing services using a Medicaid prospective payment system, helping ensure clinics receive sufficient payment to provide comprehensive services.
Standards and Services
CCBHCs must meet federal standards for timely access and scope of services, including required provision of 24/7 crisis care, timely outpatient services, and access to a comprehensive range of services with care coordination. Clinics must incorporate evidence-based practices informed by community needs assessments and serve anyone seeking mental health or substance use care, regardless of ability to pay, residence, or age, including developmentally appropriate services for children and youth. Prior to selection, states participate in a one-year planning phase funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, during which they certify clinics as CCBHCs and establish prospective payment systems for Medicaid services.
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-announcements/20260528/hhs-welcomes-10-new-states-ccbhc-medicaid-demonstration-program