WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Tina Smith (D-MN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV) today introduced the Ensuring Excellence in Mental Health Act, which would improve access to Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) by establishing a formal funding structure and allowing for coverage of the services they provide under Medicare:

“Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics have a proven record of providing lifesaving mental health and addiction treatment to anyone who walks through their doors,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would ensure CCBHCs have a reliable and permanent funding structure under Medicare so they can improve workforce sustainability and increase Texans’ access to care.”

“Everybody deserves access to mental health care, regardless of their zip code,”said Sen. Smith. “Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers know the importance of treating the whole patient, and we need to do more to make this model of mental health care accessible and sustainable. I’m grateful to my former colleagues Senator Stabenow and Senator Blunt for laying the groundwork for this initiative. It’s an honor to be its new champion in the Senate.”

“Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics have proven they can deliver timely, high-quality care for Americans facing mental health and substance use challenges, and it is time to make this model permanently available in every state,” said Sen. Tillis. “As co-chair of the Senate Mental Health Caucus, I am committed to expanding access to comprehensive treatment, and this bipartisan legislation strengthens our behavioral health system, improves access to lifesaving services, and ensures communities, including those in rural areas, have the tools they need to respond effectively to mental health and addiction crises.”

“It’s critical that while we work to keep expanding access to high-quality health care, we make sure mental health care is included,” said Sen. Cortez Masto. “I’m proud to support the Ensuring Excellence in Mental Health Act. It’s past time to expand mental health care access in our communities.”

Background:

Texas currently operates 39 Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), which were established by Congress in 2014 to provide a range of mental health, substance use, and crisis care services to vulnerable populations in need of care. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of  2024 codified a permanent CCBHC option for states under the Medicaid program, but further action is now needed to establish CCBHCs in Medicare to allow comparable status and designated payment as other health care providers. While CCBHCs serve Medicare beneficiaries, establishing designated payment for CCBHCs under Medicare would improve workforce sustainability and foster the same outcome quality measures as demonstrated under CCBHCs in Medicaid. The Ensuring Excellence in Mental Health Act would:

• Establish Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) under the Medicare program;
• Authorize CCBHC expansion grants at a level that allows current grantees to continue their efforts and ensure availability of technical assistance to help the grantee clinics succeed;
• Create opportunities to better integrate physical and behavioral health care by giving CCBHCs the option to offer primary care services within their Prospective Payment System (PPS);
• Provide guidance for organizations primarily serving distinct populations, including youth, veterans, and our most vulnerable, to understand how they can meet CCBHC requirements while continuing to provide appropriate, high-quality care;
• And further enhance accountability measures for CCBHCs by establishing a national data infrastructure and repository that would expand the ability of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and Congress to track program progress and outcomes.

This legislation is endorsed by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing and Texas Council of Community Centers.