What is a CCBHC?
Understanding the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic model
A Different Model of Mental Health Care
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) represent a fundamental shift in how mental health and substance use services are delivered in America. Created by Congress in 2014 and expanded nationwide, the CCBHC model was designed to address critical gaps in the behavioral health system—particularly in rural and underserved communities.
Southern Highlands Community Mental Health Center is one of a select number of CCBHCs in West Virginia. This federal designation isn't just a title—it's a binding commitment to provide comprehensive, coordinated care to anyone who needs it, regardless of their ability to pay.
CCBHC vs. Traditional Mental Health Providers
Traditional Provider Model
- Can refuse patients based on insurance, payment ability, or service capacity
- Limited services: Often therapy-only or medication-only; must refer elsewhere for comprehensive care
- Fragmented care: Patient coordinates between therapist, psychiatrist, primary care, case manager across different systems
- Limited crisis access: May refer to ER or crisis line; no 24/7 in-house crisis services
- No care coordination: Patient navigates insurance, transportation, housing on their own
- Variable quality: No federal oversight or standardized outcomes measurement
CCBHC Model (Our Model)
- Cannot deny service based on insurance or ability to pay—federal requirement
- Full continuum: Crisis, therapy, psychiatry, substance use treatment, peer support, case management—all under one roof
- Integrated care: One care team coordinates all services; therapist and psychiatrist communicate regularly
- 24/7 crisis services: In-house Crisis Stabilization Unit with local clinicians, no ER referral needed
- Care coordination required: Case managers help with insurance, transportation, housing, employment, legal issues
- Rigorous oversight: Annual federal audits of quality, outcomes, patient satisfaction, and clinical standards
The 9 Required CCBHC Services
To maintain CCBHC certification, we must provide all nine core services—either directly or through formal partnerships. This ensures no one falls through the cracks.
Crisis Services (24/7)
Immediate psychiatric evaluation, stabilization, and safety planning—available anytime, walk-in or by phone
Screening & Assessment
Comprehensive evaluation for mental health, substance use, trauma, and co-occurring conditions
Person-Centered Treatment Planning
Individualized plans developed with patient input, family involvement, and cultural considerations
Outpatient Mental Health & Substance Use Services
Individual therapy, group therapy, family therapy, and evidence-based treatments (CBT, DBT, MAT)
Psychiatric Rehabilitation
Skills training, supported employment, housing support, and community integration
Peer Support & Family Psychoeducation
Support from people with lived experience in recovery; education for families and caregivers
Care Coordination
Case management, insurance navigation, transportation assistance, connection to housing/legal/employment resources
Primary Care Screening & Monitoring
Health screenings, chronic disease monitoring, and coordination with primary care providers
Targeted Case Management
Intensive support for individuals with serious mental illness or complex needs
Why This Matters in Rural West Virginia
In urban areas, you might have a therapist in one building, a psychiatrist across town, a crisis center at the hospital, and a case manager through a different agency. You coordinate your own care, schedule your own appointments, and hope everyone communicates.
In rural Southern West Virginia, that model doesn't work. The nearest psychiatrist might be 90 minutes away and not accepting new patients. The crisis center might be in another county. Transportation is a barrier. Insurance is complicated. And if you're in crisis at 2 AM, your options are limited.
The CCBHC model was designed for communities like ours. Everything you need is in one place, coordinated by one team, accessible 24/7, and provided regardless of your ability to pay. It's not perfect, but it's the closest thing to a true safety net that rural America has.
Experience the CCBHC Difference
If you've struggled to access mental health care, been turned away due to insurance, or felt lost navigating a fragmented system—we're here to help.