February 13, 2020

This week, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released a summary of the Trump Administration’s proposed budget for FY 2021, which includes $906 million to extend and expand the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) program.

Why is this significant? Because, at its core, the CCBHC is focused on outcomes and addressing the many factors that affect a client’s mental wellbeing, rather than one issue at a time. Integrated care is truly best practice, and with a continued commitment to this philosophy, we will see strong results that produce quality client care, improved access and sustainable efficiencies in our overall system.

People Incorporated was among one of six providers in the two-year CCBHC pilot program in Minnesota from 2017-2019. Nearing the end of that pilot program, we have already seen the following remarkable outcomes:

• More than 17,000 Minnesotans received care during this demonstration, with results showing early success at reducing rates of severe depression, costly hospitalizations and wait times for treatment;
• There had been a 28% decline in the rate of severe depression among current CCBHC patients; and:
• The average wait time for initial health assessment among CCBHC patients decreased by seven days.

The funds in the FY 2021 budget will enable CCBHCs to continue offering the full range of required mental health and addiction treatment services. This is a significant step in the right direction toward building a system of care that fully supports not only basic needs but also the complexities that exist within a behavioral health population.