WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) announced the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is awarding the state of North Carolina a $1 million, one-year planning grant which will allow North Carolina to compete for a slot in the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) demonstration program. This announcement is the first of two rounds of awards. Funding for this grant comes from the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act that Senator Tillis helped negotiate and pass into law. 

“The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act included substantial investments in mental health and substance use services and will provide desperately-needed resources to states, local governments, schools, and health care professionals, and I’m proud that North Carolina is among the first states benefiting from the investments included in this legislation,” said Senator Tillis. “It is crucial that North Carolinians have increased access to comprehensive behavioral and substance use health services, and this announcement brings us one step closer to that coordinated care. CCBHCs have a demonstrated track record of success, increasing access and outcomes for underserved populations and I applaud HHS for their investment in our great state.”

The CCBHC planning grants will support states in their development of proposals to participate in a time-limited CCBHC demonstration program. States develop and implement certification systems for CCBHCs, establish prospective payment systems (PPS) for Medicaid reimbursable services, and prepare applications to participate in the CCBHC demonstration program. CCBHCs are designed to ensure access to coordinated comprehensive behavioral health care and are required to serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay, place of residence, or age – including developmentally appropriate care for children and youth. 

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