Welcome to the newsletter for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics in Georgia.

This newsletter is dedicated to providing valuable information, resources, and updates on DBHDD’s enhanced focus on community-based care. In each edition, we will share the latest news, research, and best practices in behavioral health. We hope you find this newsletter to be a valuable resource, and we welcome your feedback and suggestions. 

- CCBHC State Project Director, Sarepta Archila, LPC

We heard from a lot of folks about the need for a specific area for CCBHC candidate staff in Georgia to connect. We are developing a CCBHC Georgia Member Area on the website. To gain access to this page, you will need to complete the form with your contact information for pre-approval using the button below. Once approved, a link to create a member profile to enter the member area will be emailed to you.

If you have questions or have trouble accessing the Member Area please email connect@ccbhcgeorgia.org.

As more people learn about CCBHCs, they are wanting to know about the benefits. This overview video details the types of services, the process of becoming a CCBHC, and personal stories about their impact. We hope you can use this as a resource in presentations or conversations in your community around the CCBHC model. Click the image below to watch the video.

One new item that has been added to the member area (you will need to register, start by clicking the "Complete Form" button above) is a resource focused on marketing tips. This high-level overview was requested by a number of members who wanted some clear examples of ways they could share with their community the benefits of certification.

We are continuously working on improving our website and resources. Please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you have suggestions. Connect with us at: connect@CCBHCga.org 

SAMHSA Releases Updated CCBHC Criteria

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released the updated Certified Community Behavioral Clinic (CCBHC) criteria. To develop the updated CCBHC Criteria, SAMHSA gathered input from the public, key stakeholders, and federal partners. The updated criteria seek to strengthen and update the criteria without significantly adding to the state or clinic burden. SAMHSA updated and revised the criteria to:

1) respond to developments in the field (e.g., newer terminology, 988 and the crisis continuum, emerging best practices, workforce shortages),

2) update criteria that are no longer current (e.g., reference to outdated electronic health record standards), and

3) address areas suggested by CCBHCs, states, and other stakeholders.

*It should be noted that Georgia may have more stringent criteria than SAMHSA. Georgia certification criteria including required evidence-based practices (EBPs) are being finalized. It will require a CCBHC to offer services across their catchment area and be accredited by NADD Home - The NADD. 

Map of CCBHCs Across the United States (as of March 6, 2023)

Currently, there are over 500 CCBHCs operating across the country, as either CCBHC-E grantees, as clinics participating in their state’s Medicaid demonstration, or as a part of independent state CCBHC programs.

HHS Awards CCBHC Planning Grants to 15 States to Help Address Ongoing Mental Health Crisis

From the press release: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), today awarded 15 states each with $1 million, one-year Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) planning grants. This announcement marks the first time these planning grants have been available since the program began in 2015.

The 15 states selected are Alabama, Delaware, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Ohio, Rhode Island, Vermont, and West Virginia. In 2024, up to 10 of those will participate in the CCBHC Medicaid demonstration program and receive enhanced Medicaid reimbursement.

Sign up to get the latest information and updates on the progress we are making to create CCBHCs in Georgia.