Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC)

In April of 2014, Congress passed the Protecting Access to Medicare Act of 2014, which is also referred to as PAMA. Section 223 of this Act requires that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) create a process to certify Community Behavioral Health Clinics. Once a clinic receives certification, it becomes a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC).
The CCBHC Demonstration Program
In October of 2015, 24 states were awarded planning grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the HHS, to design a CCBHC program. All 24 states were given the opportunity to apply to participate in the CCBHC demonstration program. Many of the community behavioral health providers in these 24 states
While many of the required services must be provided by the certified community behavioral health clinic itself, there are other services that can be provided by a contracted DCO.
• A Formal Relationship Between the CCBHC and the DCO Must Be Created
The formal relationship between the DCO and the CCBHC is critical in that the certified community behavioral clinic is ultimately responsible for all of the care a consumer receives. This is true whether the services are provided by the CCBHC itself or by the DCO. This relationship between these two establishments is considered a contract.
• The CCBHC and DCO Formal Agreement
The formal agreement that is made between the DCO and CCBHC may also be referred to as a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). This agreement should describe the expectations of each party (the DCO and the CCBHC) as well as establish accountability for the services that will be provided. In addition, specifics related to the funding that will be sought and utilized needs to be addressed when creating this contract.
Clinics Operated by the
That said, in order to be eligible, a county, locality, state or region must oversee the clinic’s substance use and/or mental health services, and provide these services at the clinic itself. Clinics owned and operated by the local behavioral health authority can become a CCBHC as long as it meets the criteria necessary for certification.
Nonprofit Organizations
A nonprofit organization the has multiple clinics may become a CCBHC. To do so, all of its components must meet the criteria set forth by the HHS. If all of the requirements are not met, the parent organization will not be a certified community behavioral health clinic.
Whereas, a clinic that is part of a large nonprofit organization can become a CCBHC, another faction of the same organization can become a DCO. Needless to say, the clinic must meet the requirements set forth by the HHS and the other faction of the organization must meet the requirements to become a DCO.
For example, a nonprofit organization with only one certified community behavioral health clinic and a state-sanctioned, licensed or certified behavioral health crisis system may apply for the crisis system to become a DCO for its already existing CCBHC. Again, the requirements of this relationship must be satisfied.
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