Implementation Findings from the National Evaluation of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Demonstration

IMPLEMENTATION FINDINGS FROM THE NATIONAL EVALUATION OF THE CERTIFIED COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINIC DEMONSTRATION

Allison Wishon Siegwarth, Rachel Miller, Jasmine Little, Jonathan Brown, Courtney Kase, Joshua Breslau, and Michael Dunbar

Mathematica Policy Research

September 2020

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ABSTRACT

Per Section 223(d)(7)(A) of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) of 2014 (Public Law 113-93), the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary must submit to Congress an annual report on the use of funds provided under all demonstration programs conducted under this subsection, not later than one year after the date on which the first State is selected for a demonstration program under this subsection, and annually thereafter. Each report shall include assessments of: (1) access to community-based mental health services; (2) the quality and scope of services provided by CCBHCs; and (3) the impact of the demonstration programs on the federal and state costs of a full range of mental health services.

This 2019 report informs the third annual report to Congress and highlights participating states' CCBHC activities that have been associated with improving access to a comprehensive range of treatment and recovery support services. The range of services includes delivery of mental health, addiction, and either screening for general medical conditions or onsite access to primary care during the first year of the demonstration. It draws on qualitative findings gathered from interviews at the state level and data from surveys of CCBHCs.

Subsequent annual reports to Congress on this demonstration will include more details, benefitting from data pending on quality measures and cost reports now being collected by CCBHCs and by demonstration states as required. In addition, claims analyses will be conducted to answer the questions about the demonstration posed by Congress.

This report was prepared under contract #HHSP233201600017I between HHS's ASPE/BHDAP and Mathematica Policy Research to conduct the national evaluation of the demonstration. For additional information about this subject, you can visit the BHDAP home page at https://aspe.hhs.gov/bhdap or contact the ASPE Project Officer, Judith Dey, at HHS/ASPE/BHDAP, Room 424E, H.H. Humphrey Building, 200 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20201. Her e-mail address is: Judith.Dey@hhs.gov.

DISCLAIMER: The opinions and views expressed in this report are those of the authors. They do not reflect the views of the Department of Health and Human Services, the contractor or any other funding organization. This report was completed and submitted on September 19, 2019.