Prairie View Becomes Provisionally Certified As a CCBHC, or Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic
May 3, 2023
NEWTON, Kan. (May 3, 2023) – Prairie View, which serves as community mental health center for Harvey, Marion and McPherson counties, has been provisionally certified as a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC), effective July 1, 2023.
“This is a big win for Prairie View and for the state as a whole,” says Marcy Johnson, Prairie View president and CEO. “It’s an exciting time to be a part of Prairie View and behavioral health care.”
CCBHCs were originally developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
CCBHC is an outpatient, integrated care model incorporating care coordination and utilizing a cost based payment methodology, according to Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services.
The goals of the CCBHC program are to:
- Increase access to community based mental health and substance use disorder services, particularly to under-served communities;
- Advance integration of behavioral health with physical health care; and
- Improve utilization of evidence-based practices on a more consistent basis.
“Prairie View staff has spent countless hours committed to demonstrating the ability to serve clients in a more comprehensive way to align with CCBHC standards,” says Johnson.
She gives much credit to Tim Hein, vice president of community mental health center services, for ensuring Prairie View was ready for this revolutionary way of care.
One change that Prairie View staff are most energized by is the transition and implementation of bolstered care coordination and service navigation that will be accessible to clients.
“Through CCBHC, care coordinators and patient navigators will be expertly equipped to aid people we serve in accessing services that they need,” says Hein. “Beyond simply offering referral information, staff will better be able to help people through the entire process of accessing services they need. CCBHC service delivery values these opportunities by offering additional time and space to coordinate and collaborate with other professionals on a client’s health team.”