What is a CCBHC and what are the General Requirements?

What is a CCBHC?

The Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) program is a federal program funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Funding is awarded through a competitive grant process, which to date, has been made available annually. Currently, the grant period is four years, with $1M in funding being awarded per year (total $4M). The CCBHC program has strenuous rules and requirements that mandate the core services, timeliness of care, staffing/personnel, governance, care coordination, and more. The CCBHC Criteria is a document that outlines all of the program requirements. Appendix M provides a summary of the criteria in the form of a checklist. Appendix M is useful for an organization to review in their assessment for program readiness. The CCBHC Criteria and Appendix M are available of our Materials page.

What are the required core services? CCBHCs provide a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorder services to vulnerable individuals. There are nine (9) required core services, that must be provided. Some of these services must be provided directing by the CCBHC, and some can be provided through a partner organization, called a Designated Collaborating Organization (DCO). The emphasis for the CCBHC program is providing 24/7 crisis intervention services. The nine required services, as currently mandated, are listed below:

· Crisis mental health services, including 24-hour mobile crisis teams, emergency crisis intervention services, and crisis stabilization

· Screening, assessment, and diagnosis, including risk assessment

· Patient-centered treatment planning with risk assessment and crisis planning

· Outpatient mental health (MH) and substance use disorder services (SUD)

· Outpatient primary care screening and monitoring of key health indicators and health risk

· Targeted case management

· Peer support and counselor services and family supports

What are other requirements of the CCBHC program? CCBHCs must: use evidence-based practices; establish care coordination with local primary care and hospital partners; provide integration with primary care; include meaningful inclusion of consumers/patients in the development of the CCBHC; complete a Need Assessment and establish need for the program; emphasize recovery and trauma-informed care; provide care regardless of ability to pay; develop an Advisory Group; develop a Board of Directors; and demonstrate compliance with all CCBHC criteria within 12 month of award. This may not be a n exhaustive list of all requirements. Please see the CCBHC Criteria document and the most recent Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for additional requirements.