By Aliss Higham
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Ten U.S. states have been added to a Medicaid program that helps with mental health and substance use issues, the Biden administration has said.
The CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration Program provides states with "sustainable funding that helps them expand access to mental health and substance use services," the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HSS) says.
The program offers Medicaid reimbursement for the full cost of services provided by CCBHCs (Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics), at higher and more competitive rates than those previously received by community mental-health centers for Medicaid-eligible individuals.
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The following states are now included in the CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration Program: Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Vermont. They were added to the Medicaid program following each state successfully developing the necessary state-level infrastructure. They also worked with providers in their states to develop programs that meet CCBHC standards, according to a HSS news release.
The addition of the 10 states brings the total number to 18, with the others being Michigan, Missouri, Kentucky, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, and Oregon.
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However, just because a state isn't listed here doesn't mean CCBHC services aren't available across almost all of the country. The addition of the 10 new states is for new funding provided by the federal government.
CCBHCs were first funded under Medicaid in 2017, with 67 clinics opening across these eight states. The HSS says that there are now in excess of 500 CCBHCs across 46 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
"Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics have significantly improved behavioral health treatment in our country, and today's announcement will dramatically expand and improve access to equitable, quality care for Americans with serious mental health and substance use treatment needs," HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a news release issued on June 4.
"Thanks to the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, we are adding 10 new states to this groundbreaking demonstration across the country, ensuring our CCBHCs can serve more Americans who need our help."
What Does a CCBHC Do?
CCBHCs provide a range of services for those who use Medicaid. They help patients receive comprehensive, single-point-of-access care for their problems instead of it being provided across several service providers.
The services the CCBHCs provide include outpatient mental health and substance use treatments; psychiatric rehabilitation services; community-based mental health care for veterans; and counseling. They also provide 24-hours-a-day, seven-day-a-week crisis intervention services.
"Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use conditions. With sustainable funding, CCBHCs in participating states will now be able to connect more people to the care they need," said HHS Deputy Secretary Andrea Palm.
"This is another example of our commitment at HHS to transforming behavioral health and ensuring all Americans have access to behavioral health resources."
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