Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Initiative

Apr 15, 2022

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services continues to support the development of a new Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) service and reimbursement model for behavioral health services in Maine. The Department is prioritizing stakeholder engagement throughout this process and is setting up systems to support this active collaboration. Please stay tuned for more specific steps for involvement in designing the CCBHC roadmap, informing policy development, and accessing provider supports.

CCBHCs provide a comprehensive range of services directly or in partnership with Designated Collaborating Organizations (DCOs), with a focus on coordinated care and use of certain evidence-based practices for individuals across the lifespan, regardless of their ability to pay. This model has been proven to remove systemic barriers that limit access to behavioral health services, improve health outcomes, and offer behavioral health professionals the opportunity to provide individuals in need with whole person care.

CCBHCs are recognized as a promising model by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) with significant support nationally. According to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing, 42 states as well as the District of Columbia and Guam are operating more than 430 CCBHCs. Many other states are taking advantage of SAMHSA grants to plan and implement use of this model.

Full CCBHC implementation will represent a major reform in Maine, so there will likely be a phased approach to reach our ideal “future state.” At a high level, we envision these phases to include:

• Continuing investment in current behavioral health services to implement recommendations from rate studies;
• Continuing to fill gaps in the behavioral health service continuum and improve coverage policies;
• Reforming MaineCare’s crisis resolution services to align with federal guidance and best practices around community-based mobile crisis response; and,
• Staging additional crisis reform and comprehensive behavioral health enhancements to coincide with CCBHC implementation efforts.

The phased approach allows for immediate action, thoughtful consideration of reform impacts, flexibility to adapt to changing needs and input, and the ability for providers to develop strategic partnerships to support their own unique organizational goals.

To learn more about CCBHCs, please see the CCBH Success Center webpage.

For questions/comment about the Department’s CCBHC work, please email: CCBHC_DHHS@maine.gov. There will be dedicated CCBHC staff at the Office of Child and Family Services, and the Office of Behavioral Health, working in collaboration with the Office of MaineCare Services to lead the initiative and staff from each office have access to the shared email account provided above.