HHS Expands Funding for Mental Health and Substance Use Services

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced two Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) funding opportunities totaling $312 million over four years for up to 156 awards to expand and increase access to evidence-based mental health and substance use services for Americans. This includes providing essential mental health services such as 24-hour mobile crisis teams, screening and case management to vulnerable communities that would otherwise lack access to services.

The two CCBHC grant programs are:

• Planning, Development and Implementation grants will assist clinics to establish and implement new CCBHC programs.

• Improvement and Advancement grants will support existing CCBHCs to enhance and improve their programs.

“Over the past several years, CCBHCs have been instrumental in transforming behavioral healthcare in their respective communities,” said Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, PhD, HHS, assistant secretary for mental health and substance use and the leader of SAMHSA. “But we know now that much more support is needed to ensure that everyone who needs help can access care when and where they seek it.”

CCBHCs must meet federal 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, seven days a week. CCBHCs must also provide routine outpatient care within 10 business days after an initial contact so people don’t languish on waiting lists. Equally important, CCBHCs are required to serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay, place of residence or age, including developmentally appropriate care for children and youth.