HHS Awards States Planning Grants for Community Behavioral Health Clinics

In a press release on Tuesday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) agency has awarded 14 states and Washington, D.C. with $1 million, one-year Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Medicaid Demonstration Program planning grants. Funding was authorized by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act of 2022 to address the ongoing national mental health and substance use disorder crises.

The selected states are Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. According to the news release, up to 10 states will be selected in 2026 to participate in the CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration Program and receive enhanced Medicaid reimbursement.

The CCBHC model was designed to ensure access to behavioral healthcare. 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.

CCBHCs need to meet federal standards for their services and get people into care quickly. They must see people in crisis immediately and offer timely routine outpatient care.

“Everyone in this country who seeks help for mental health or substance use issues should be able to receive it, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay for services,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement.