Nearly a quarter of the U.S. population has a mental health condition, including many with a serious mental illness or substance use disorder. Yet, the country has a severe shortage of behavioral health providers, especially in rural areas. For people who use Medicaid or are uninsured, finding a mental health provider is just the first step, with individuals frequently facing months-long wait times for an appointment.

The Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model, which began under a federal demonstration program in 2017, is designed to address these access issues and promote more comprehensive, integrated, and timely behavioral health care — regardless of individuals’ ability to pay. This profile provides an overview of the CCBHC model and highlights the model’s unique financing approach. It also explores the experiences and impact of two CCBHC programs — VIP Community Services in the Bronx, New York, and GRAND Mental Health in Oklahoma — that offer different variations of how the model can be implemented and sustained to improve coordinated care delivery for people with mental health conditions and/or substance use disorder.

The profile is part of the Better Care Playbook’s ongoing series, In the Field: Spotlight on Complex Care Interventions, that highlights how organizations are implementing evidence-based and promising innovations to improve care for people with complex health and social needs.