HHS Announces $300 Million in Funding for Mental Health | Healthcare Innovation

On March 24, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced via a press release two Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) funding opportunities to increase access to evidence-based mental health and substance use services for individuals in the U.S.

The release states that “This includes providing essential mental health services—such as 24-hour mobile crisis teams, screening, and case management—to vulnerable communities that would otherwise lack access to services.  Totaling more than $300 million, these funding opportunities reflect the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitments to addressing the nation’s mental health crisis and overdose epidemic as part of the President’s Unity Agenda.”

That said, “The two CCBHC grant programs are:

SAMSHA expects funding a combined estimated $312 million over four years for up to 156 awards for each Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) in FY 2022.

HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra was quoted in the release saying that “The investment into this program underscores the Biden-Harris Administration’s commitment to strengthening the mental health of all Americans. Improving health outcomes, especially in vulnerable communities, is an urgent priority.”

“CCBHCs must meet federal standards for the range of services that they provide, and they are required to get people into care quickly,” the release adds. “An important feature of the CCBHC model is that it requires crisis services that are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  CCBHCs must also provide routine outpatient care within 10 business days after an initial contact so people don’t languish on waiting lists. Equally important, CCBHCs 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.”

This announcement is part of HHS’s plan to address the nation’s mental health crisis and HHS’s National Tour to Strengthen Mental Health. Becerra kicked off the tour—which aims to hear from Americans across the country regarding behavioral health challenges—after President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address on March 1, 2022.