We are taking steps to meet the standardized criteria for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics ( CCBHCs ), as specified in the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014 ( H . R . 4302 ) as another step towards ensuring high quality care . CCBHCs are “ entities designed to serve individuals with serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders that provide intensive , person-centered , multidisciplinary , evidence-based screening , assessment , diagnostics , treatment , prevention , and wellness services .” 3 The enhanced federal matching funds for services delivered to Medicaid beneficiaries that are made available through the related federal demonstration project “ offer states the opportunity to expand access to care and improve the quality of behavioral health services ,” according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration ( SAMHSA ). 4
The CCBHC criteria are focused on six key areas :
• Staffing . These criteria require staff to have diverse skills , applicable licensure and accreditation , and cultural and linguistic competencies appropriate to the population they serve .
• Availability and accessibility of services . These criteria require providing access to around-the-clock crisis management services and a sliding scale for payment , and prohibit rejection or limiting of services on the basis of a patient ’ s ability to pay or place of residence .
• Care coordination . These criteria are related to coordinating care across settings and providers , including federally qualified health centers , inpatient psychiatric and detox facilities , inpatient and outpatient hospitals , providers within the U . S . Department of Veterans Affairs , and other community services and supports .
• Scope of services . These criteria are related to the provision , either internally or through partnerships , of services including crisis care , screening and diagnosis , patient-centered treatment planning , outpatient mental health and primary care services , targeted case management , psychiatric rehabilitation , peer support , and intensive services for veterans .
• Quality and other reporting . These criteria include required reporting of encounter data , clinical outcomes data , and quality data .
• Organizational authority , governance , and other accreditation . This clarifies that CCBHCs must conform to at least one of the statutorily established criteria as a local governmental behavioral health authority and / or nonprofit entity , among other potential designations .
Through this strategic planning effort for FY2017 – 2019 , we have sharpened our strategic focus to three areas of opportunity that will guide our efforts and promote the well-being of the people we serve . The strategic goals outlined in this plan are ambitious — they will require significant work and commitment across the organization — but we are committed to achieving them , given their importance to the people we serve .
The health care environment and the needs of the community are not static , and this plan should not be a static document . Rather , it is a road map to guide us into the future and may be adapted and adjusted as needed in response to changes in the external and internal environments .
3 MTM Services and National Council for Behavioral Health ( 2015 ). New Integrated CCBHC Certification Criteria
Feasibility and Readiness Tool ( I-CCFRT ). Accessed from www . thenationalcouncil . org / wp-content / uploads / 2015 / 11 / I- CCBHC-Feasibility-and-Readiness-Assessment-FINAL-REVISED-E-FORM12-8-15 . pdf
4 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration ( 2015 ). Criteria for the Demonstration Program to
Improve Community Mental Health Centers and to Establish Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics . http :// www . samhsa . gov / sites / default / files / programs _ campaigns / ccbhc-criteria . pdf