The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is making an estimated $312 million package available to increase access to mental health care and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment.
The funding will be dispersed through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and will include mental health assistance such as 24-hour mobile crisis teams, screening and case management.
SAMHSA, which is a branch of HHS, will provide the funding to federally-designated Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs). The CCBHC program was established in 2014 to help provide resources to clinics looking to increase services to uninsured and underinsured individuals.
CCBHCs are eligible to receive higher Medicaid payments for meeting certain patient service and operational benchmarks. Additionally, the higher reimbursements are intended to allow providers to offer competitive worker wages and facilitate more collaboration with law enforcement, hospitals and schools.
“Over the past several years, CCBHCs have been instrumental in transforming behavioral health care in their respective communities,” Miriam Delphin-Rittmon, the leader of SAMHSA, said in a news release issued by HHS. “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.”
The two programs include the following grants:
- Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic – Planning, Development, and Implementation, which will assist clinics to establish and implement new CCBHC programs
- Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic – Improvement and Advancement, which is intended to support existing CCBHCs to enhance and improve their programs
The two programs are anticipated to be funded over four years with up to 156 awards to be dispersed.
“The investment into this program underscores the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to strengthening the mental health of all Americans,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in the release. “Improving health outcomes, especially in vulnerable communities, is an urgent priority.”
