HHS Released a $15M Funding Program to Tackle the Mental Health Crisis

• These funds will encourage Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) to continue giving mental assistance.  
• In 2021, the Biden-Harris administration also gave nearly $300M for new and existing CCBHCs.  
• These efforts are one of the latest ones by the administration and Congress to address the surge in the need for mental health services.  

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a new funding opportunity for states to develop and transform Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) to address the country’s mental health crisis. 

These funds from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) will be a big push for CCBHCs to continue giving mental assistance. These centers are available 24 hours a day, every day of the week, and serve anyone needing mental health care or substance abuse, regardless of their ability to pay. 

In 2021, the Biden-Harris administration also gave nearly $300M for new and existing CCBHCs. That same year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) awarded this same amount in planning grants to 20 states to support and expand community-based mobile crisis intervention services for Medicaid beneficiaries. 

HHS Secretary, Xavier Becerra, stated that “with these additional funds, we are delivering on President Bide’s commitment to strengthen mental and behavioral health for all Americans, including people living in our nation’s most vulnerable communities.” Becerra added that behavioral health is health and that there should be no distinction. 

States can apply to receive funds to address the mental health crisis  

Ten states, Michigan, Missouri, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Pennsylvania, were selected from among 24 states that received one-year planning grants from HHS. States must obtain a planning grant to apply to the demonstration program.  

The remaining 40 US states and the District of Columbia are eligible to submit applications for planning grants to develop CCBHCs in their states. In early 2023, up to 15 states will be awarded up to $1 million for one-year planning grants. From those that submit a successful demonstration application, ten will be selected to be in the actual CCBHC demonstration, starting in 2024.  

This new funding opportunity adds to the recently released HHS roadmap for behavioral health integration. Read more about that in our blog HHS released a road map for behavioral health integration – AdvantEdge (ahsrcmprod.wpengine.com)  

These efforts are one of the latest ones by the administration and Congress to address the surge in the need for mental health services. According to a recent poll conducted by CNN and the Kaiser Family Foundation, Americans believe the country is facing a mental health crisis. Read more about this in our article Survey Reveals Huge Gap in Coverage for Mental Health Services (ahsrcmprod.wpengine.com)  

Review the complete HHS statement here: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Millions of Dollars in New Funds for States to Tackle Mental Health Crisis | HHS.gov  

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