Illinois Is One Of Ten States Chosen For Health Clinics

Program to provide sustainable funding for robust community outpatient mental health and substance use treatment services

Illinois has been selected as one of ten states to participate in the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Medicaid Demonstration Program designed to expand and improve access to coordinated mental health care and substance use services, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced.

“This announcement builds on the substantial progress my administration has made to ensure that mental and behavioral health services are available statewide,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “And now, thanks to our partners at the federal level, 19 organizations will be able to treat people in crisis, regardless of their ability to pay.”

The CCBHC Demonstration Program provides reimbursement through Medicaid for the full cost of services that CCBHCs provide, and at higher rates than community mental health centers previously received for Medicaid customers. HFS anticipates that this program will bring an additional $150 million into Illinois’ behavioral health system.

Illinois has been a leader in encouraging the development of CCBHCs, and this award will propel its efforts. CCBHCs were created to strengthen mental health and substance use treatment across the country through comprehensive community outpatient behavioral health treatment. Their services must meet federal standards, and they must serve anyone who requests care for their mental health or substance use condition, regardless of age, ability to pay, or location. This model has been proven to significantly increase access to behavioral health care, including crisis care, for individuals who may otherwise have a difficult time accessing the services they need.

CCBHCs provide access to a range of services, care coordination, and they incorporate evidence-based practices and other supports based on a community needs assessment. This includes crisis services that are available 24/7. CCBHCs are also required to provide routine outpatient care within 10 business days.

The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services (HFS), which administers the Illinois Medicaid program, identified 19 mental health and substance use treatment providers across the state to participate in the demonstration program, which will build on the Department’s ongoing work to expand access to behavioral health services statewide.

“We are thrilled that our federal partners have chosen Illinois to participate in the CCBHC Demonstration Program, which will have a significant impact on increasing behavioral health and substance use treatment access across the state,” said HFS Director Elizabeth Whitehorn. “Behavioral health care faces major capacity challenges across the nation, and this program recognizes that we must find a way to serve individuals in crisis, regardless of where they live and whether they have the ability to pay. This program will expand access in critical ways for people who have struggled in the past to find the services they need.”

“SAMHSA’s award designating Illinois as an CCBHC demonstration State will make behavioral health treatment more accessible and change the behavioral health system landscape for decades to come,” said Illinois Chief Behavioral Health Officer David T. Jones. “We are immensely thankful to the Biden Administration and other federal partners for providing Illinois with a phenomenal opportunity to expand comprehensive integrated behavioral and primary healthcare services.”

The 19 Illinois-based awardee organizations are: Trilogy Inc., Chicago; Lutheran Social Services of IL, Chicago; Human Resources Development Institute, Chicago; The Thresholds, Chicago; The Thresholds, Woodstock; Rosecrance Incorporated, Champaign; Rosecrance Incorporated, Rockford; Heritage Behavioral Health Center, Decatur; Preferred Family Healthcare, Inc., Quincy; Transitions of Western IL, Inc., Quincy; Centerstone of Illinois, Inc., Alton; Chestnut Health Systems, Inc., Granite City; Chestnut Health Systems, Inc., Belleville; Ecker Center for Behavioral Health, Elgin; Link & Option Center, Inc., South Holland; Bridgeway, Inc., Galesburg; Robert Young Center, Moline; Robert Young Center, Rock Island; Sinnissippi Centers, Inc., Dixon

“Illinois' inclusion in the CCBHC demonstration program marks a significant step toward improved access to behavioral health care across the state,” said Anne Tyree, Centerstone Regional CEO. “Embracing the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic designation and model will strengthen Centerstone's workforce and enhance the quality of care provided to our communities. With increased funding through this model, we can attract and retain high-quality staff, offer comprehensive training, expand services, and build a more robust and equitable behavioral health care continuum in Southern Illinois.”

Illinois is one of the 10 new states chosen for the CCBHC Demonstration Program, along with Alabama, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Michigan, Missouri, Kentucky, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, and Oregon are already part of the program.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available by calling or texting 988 or via chat at 988lifeline.org. To learn how to get support for mental health, or substance use issues, visit FindSupport.gov. Locate treatment providers by visiting FindTreatment.gov or calling 800-662-HELP (4357).