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What is a CCBHC and Why It Matters for West Virginia
A plain guide to Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) and what the model means for access to care in rural West Virginia. Learn about the nine required service areas, how CCBHCs differ from traditional providers, and how to access services.
If you have called a behavioral health clinic in southern West Virginia recently, you may have heard the term CCBHC. In West Virginia, the state certifies qualifying clinics under a program based on federal CCBHC criteria. Those requirements affect the services and access standards a certified clinic must maintain.
This page explains what the designation means and how to use it. It describes services and access. It is not clinical advice.
What is a CCBHC?
CCBHC stands for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic.
Congress created the CCBHC model in 2014 to expand access to mental health and substance use care. West Virginia operates a state certification and Medicaid payment process designed to follow the federal model and criteria.
The model has some access and payment concepts in common with Federally Qualified Health Centers, but CCBHCs and FQHCs are separate programs with different certification and billing rules.
Just as FQHCs changed primary care access for underserved communities, the CCBHC model is aimed at behavioral health access, and rural states like West Virginia are exactly the kind of place it was designed for.
Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center is a certified CCBHC serving Mercer, McDowell, and Wyoming counties.
The Nine Required Service Areas
By federal requirement, a CCBHC must provide all nine core service areas, either directly or through formal partnerships with other organizations.
1. Crisis Services, 24/7
- A crisis line that answers around the clock
- Mobile crisis response
- Crisis stabilization
Why it matters for access: In rural West Virginia, the nearest psychiatric hospital can be a long drive. A local crisis option means the emergency room and a highway trip are not the only choices at two in the morning.
Southern Highlands crisis line: 1-800-615-0122, answered 24/7.
2. Screening, Assessment, and Diagnosis
- Psychiatric evaluations
- Substance use assessments
- Screening for co-occurring mental health and substance use conditions
Why it matters for access: You can contact a CCBHC directly to request an evaluation. A health plan or particular service may still apply referral, eligibility, medical-necessity, or authorization rules.
3. Person-Centered Treatment Planning
- Treatment plans developed with the person, not handed to them
- Recovery-oriented, built around the goals the person actually has
- Trauma-informed
- Culturally appropriate
Why it matters for access: Your plan is a conversation between you and your care team. Nothing on a website, including this one, can tell you what belongs in it.
4. Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Use Services
- Individual counseling
- Group counseling
- Family counseling
- Medication management
- Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder
- Substance use counseling
Why it matters for access: Behavioral health and substance use services come from the same organization instead of two agencies that do not talk to each other.
5. Primary Care Screening and Monitoring
- Basic physical health screening
- Coordination with primary care providers
- Referral out when a medical issue needs a medical provider
Why it matters for access: Physical health and behavioral health get treated as one person’s health rather than two separate errands in two separate towns.
6. Targeted Case Management
- Housing assistance
- Employment support
- Benefits enrollment, including Medicaid, disability, and food assistance
- Help getting to appointments
- Navigating court systems and other agencies
Why it matters for access: Housing, transportation, and paperwork are among the most common reasons people stop coming. Case management exists to deal with them directly.
7. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services
- Social skills support
- Independent living skills
- Vocational services
- Supported employment
Why it matters for access: These services are rarely available from a single private practice in a rural county. They are required here.
8. Peer Support and Counselor Services
- Peer recovery specialists with lived experience
- Peer support groups
- Recovery coaching
Why it matters for access: Peer specialists can often meet with someone sooner and less formally than a clinical appointment allows, and they know the local resources.
9. Family Support Services
- Family education
- Family counseling
- Support groups for family members
- Support for families during a crisis
Why it matters for access: Families can get support at a CCBHC even when the person they are worried about is not ready to come in.
CCBHC vs. a Traditional Provider: What Differs in Practice
| Feature | CCBHC | Traditional provider |
|---|---|---|
| Scope of services | All nine service areas required | Often one or two services |
| Payment options | Insurance plus a sliding fee scale based on household income | Often requires insurance or full private pay |
| Referral needed | Not required for behavioral health services | Sometimes required |
| Crisis services | 24/7 crisis line required | Typically none |
| Substance use treatment | Provided alongside mental health services | Often a separate organization |
| Case management | Required | Rarely available |
| Peer support | Required | Rarely available |
| Locations | Multiple sites across a rural service area | Often a single office |
| Oversight | Federal standards and reporting | State licensing |
| Funding model | Prospective payment | Fee-for-service |
Why the Model Matters in Rural West Virginia
Provider shortages
West Virginia has long had a shortage of behavioral health providers, and the shortage is sharpest in rural counties. Some counties have very few licensed clinicians practicing locally.
How the CCBHC model responds:
- Serving the residents of a defined service area is part of the certification, not an optional business decision
- Team-based care spreads capacity across prescribers, counselors, case managers, and peer specialists
- Telehealth brings staff to people who cannot make the drive
- A predictable funding model makes it possible to hire and keep staff
Fragmented care
In a traditional system, one person may end up managing a counselor at one agency, a prescriber at another, a substance use program somewhere else, case management through a fourth organization, and a hospital emergency room for anything urgent.
How the CCBHC model responds:
- Services come from one organization
- A care team that shares records and communicates
- One phone number to call
- Any entry point can connect you to the rest
Financial barriers
Many households in southern West Virginia are uninsured or underinsured, and even people with coverage can find deductibles and copays out of reach.
How the CCBHC model responds:
- A sliding fee scale based on household income for people without coverage
- Staff who can help verify coverage and any authorization required for a particular service
- A Medicaid payment model intended to support the required scope of CCBHC services
The overdose crisis
Southern West Virginia has been hit hard by opioids, and the region has needed both substance use services and mental health services in the same place for a long time.
How the CCBHC model responds:
- Substance use and mental health services under one organization
- Medication-assisted treatment offered as part of that
- Peer recovery specialists with lived experience
- Case management for housing, employment, and benefits
- Crisis services available around the clock
Crisis care gaps
Most rural counties in West Virginia have no psychiatric hospital. Historically that has meant emergency rooms, long transports, and law enforcement responding to behavioral health calls.
How the CCBHC model responds:
- Crisis stabilization available locally
- Mobile crisis response
- A crisis line staffed at all hours
- Warm handoffs from crisis services into ongoing care
The CCBHC Funding Model
Traditional fee-for-service
- The provider bills for each individual service delivered
- Revenue depends on volume
- Case management, peer support, and care coordination are poorly reimbursed or not reimbursed at all
- Serving uninsured patients is a straightforward financial loss
CCBHC prospective payment
- West Virginia uses a prospective payment approach for qualifying CCBHC encounters
- Detailed billing depends on the services delivered, eligibility, documentation, service codes, and current Medicaid policy
- Some services are carved out or have separate billing and authorization rules
- The payment model supports broad access, but it does not mean every service is covered or free for every person
The point of the funding change is straightforward: it makes it financially possible for a clinic to offer the parts of care that a fee-for-service system does not pay for, in places where the patient population cannot carry the cost.
CCBHC Standards and Accountability
West Virginia-certified CCBHCs are evaluated under state requirements designed to implement federal CCBHC criteria, including:
Access standards
- Crisis services available 24/7
- Timely access to routine and urgent appointments
- Services available to residents of the service area regardless of ability to pay
Quality standards
- Federal requirements governing the clinical practices a certified clinic uses
- Trauma-informed care
- Person-centered treatment planning
- Staff training requirements
Reporting
- Tracking and reporting required quality measures to the appropriate state or federal program
- Ongoing quality improvement requirements
- Public accountability for performance
Care coordination
- Formal coordination with primary care, hospitals, and schools
- Health information exchange participation
- Follow-up after a hospitalization or crisis episode
CCBHCs in West Virginia
West Virginia was selected for the original CCBHC demonstration program in 2017.
Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center is listed by West Virginia as a state-certified CCBHC. Because certifications and service areas can change, use the state’s current West Virginia CCBHC directory rather than relying on a static list in this article.
How to Access CCBHC Services
You do not need a referral
Call or walk in.
- You can contact the clinic directly; referral and authorization rules may still apply to a particular service or coverage
- Coverage and authorization depend on the particular service and current Medicaid policy; staff can verify what applies
- No appointment needed for crisis services
Southern Highlands: 304-425-9541. Listed office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM; call that number to confirm walk-in intake availability. Crisis line 1-800-615-0122, 24/7.
Insurance and payment
- WV Medicaid: Southern Highlands participates in West Virginia Medicaid; coverage, authorization, and cost-sharing vary by service and eligibility
- Medicare: coverage and cost-sharing depend on the service, provider eligibility, and your Medicare or supplemental plan
- Private insurance: network participation, coverage, authorization, deductibles, and copays vary by plan
- No insurance: a sliding fee scale based on household income and household size, with proof of income required to be placed on the scale
If you might qualify for Medicaid, you can apply online at wvinroads.org, by phone at 1-877-716-1212, or in person at a DHHR office. You do not have to wait for the application to be decided before you call a clinic.
What to bring to a first appointment
- Photo ID
- Insurance card, if you have one
- A list of medications you currently take
- Proof of income if you are asking about the sliding fee scale
- Contact information for other providers you see, if you want care coordinated
Locations and telehealth
Southern Highlands has locations across Mercer, McDowell, and Wyoming counties, including Princeton, Welch, Mullens, and Rockview. Not every service is available at every site. Telehealth is available for many outpatient services, and phone appointments are an option when internet service is unreliable. Ask which of your appointments can be done remotely.
If you have WV Medicaid, non-emergency medical transportation may cover rides to appointments. Call 1-844-549-8353 and schedule several business days ahead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Are CCBHCs only for people with serious mental illness? A: No. CCBHCs serve people with a wide range of mental health and substance use needs. Whether a particular concern warrants treatment is something an evaluation answers, and you can schedule one by calling 304-425-9541.
Q: Do I have to use all nine services? A: No. You receive the services that come out of your assessment and treatment planning. Many people use one or two.
Q: Are CCBHCs government-run? A: Not necessarily. CCBHCs may be operated by independent organizations certified through the applicable state or federal pathway. Funding and payment arrangements vary by program and clinic.
Q: Is CCBHC care lower quality because it serves low-income people? A: CCBHC certification imposes defined access, service, quality, and reporting requirements. Certification by itself does not predict the result of care for a particular person; ask about the clinic’s licensed staff, services, accreditation, and quality information.
Q: Can I use CCBHC crisis services if I already see a therapist elsewhere? A: Yes. Crisis services are available whether or not you receive ongoing care somewhere else.
Q: Will a CCBHC share my information with other providers? A: Information may be shared with your authorization and in circumstances permitted or required by law, including some treatment, payment, and care-coordination activities. HIPAA applies, and qualifying substance use disorder records may have additional federal protection. Ask for the clinic’s Notice of Privacy Practices and discuss any specific concern with staff.
Q: How do I find out whether there is a CCBHC in my county? A: Use the state’s current West Virginia CCBHC directory or call the WV Bureau for Behavioral Health at 304-356-4811.
Crisis Information
If you or someone you are with is in crisis:
- Southern Highlands 24/7 crisis line: 1-800-615-0122
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, or visit https://988lifeline.org/
- Walk into the Crisis Stabilization Unit
- Call 911 if someone is in immediate physical danger
The Short Version
The CCBHC designation is a set of obligations: provide a defined scope of services, keep a crisis line answering at all hours, serve the residents of your service area, and report on it. For a rural region where the alternative has often been a long drive to a fragmented system, that scope is the point.
For general information about mental health and substance use conditions, see the National Institute of Mental Health at https://www.nimh.nih.gov/ or SAMHSA at https://www.samhsa.gov/. For anything about your own care, talk to a clinician.
To start services with Southern Highlands, call 304-425-9541.
SHCMHC is a federally certified CCBHC serving Mercer, McDowell, and Wyoming counties. Call 304-425-9541 to schedule, or 1-800-615-0122 for 24/7 crisis services.