National Council Resource Highlights Best Practices for CCBHCs

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing released a new resource, “CCBHCs: A Vision for the Future of Community Behavioral Health Care”, that outlines a national vision for leveraging the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model to transform the way people can access mental health and substance use care. This vision paper includes information for clinics about designing programs, streamlining operations to provide same-day service and increase workforce capacity, and promoting health equity to improve health care outcomes. It also includes information for states with recommendations on how to engage with CCBHCs to inform policy decisions and reduce barriers to care.

For clinics, the resource provides ideas to help design programs and services, streamline operations to ensure same-day access and develop a workforce capable of meeting increased demand for services, promoting health equity and improving health care outcomes. For states, it includes recommendations to engage with CCBHCs to better inform policy solutions to reduce barriers to care and coordinate statewide efforts like implementing the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

Operated and certified in 12 states, CCBHCs have seen widespread bipartisan support in the last decade. Just last year, the CCBHC demonstration program was expanded to add 10 new states every two years, starting in 2024. Yet despite the model’s proven success, most communities across the country don’t yet have access to a CCBHC. Implementing the program’s expansion and codifying the model into law will help ensure more people can access high-quality care in their communities.

To learn more about this vision and the CCBHC model, click here.