August 22, 2022
The National Council for Wellbeing passed along the following important updates shared yesterday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration program.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will be allowing existing CCBHC demonstration states to add CCBHC sites and will be releasing more details about the process in the coming months. At this time, HHS has no plans to change the rules that apply to satellite facilities. The agencies are now in an information-collection phase and has asked state officials to reach out to them about concerns or considerations that might shape specific concrete guidance that will be forthcoming.
- HHS will be releasing the CCBHC state planning grant Notice of Funding Opportunity in October 2022 with a planned 60-day application period and announcement of awards in March 2023. States will need to complete these planning grants in order to participate in the 2024 expansion of the Medicaid Demonstration authorized under the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act.
- HHS is undertaking a process to update the Certification Criteria, CCBHC quality measures, and guidance on the prospective payment system. This will include listening sessions and opportunities for public input. Additional details about the timing and process for these updates will be provided soon.
For the National Council's commentary on some of the implications and considerations of each bullet item above, please refer to this communication from Rebecca Farley David, Senior Advisor on Public Policy and Special Initiatives at the National Council.
