News release
High Plains Mental Health Center has been certified as one of the first Community Behavioral Health Clinics in the state of Kansas. This week, High Plains received a provisional, two-year certification from the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services. Implementing the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic system of care will “raise the bar” by providing a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorder services and focusing on care coordination, said Executive Director Walt Hill.
“Whole person care is a major focus of the CCBHC model. We are proud to continue offering innovative new services and expanded treatment options for the people of Northwest Kansas,” Hill said. “We are grateful to the State of Kansas for supporting CCBHC implementation, and we are very thankful for the efforts of our hard-working and dedicated staff to make this possible.”
With this news, High Plains is among the first six Community Mental Health Centers to achieve certified CCBHC status in Kansas. In April 2021, Gov. Laura Kelly signed a bill establishing the CCBHC model for providing behavioral health services in Kansas. Kansas is the first state in the nation to pass legislation adopting the CCBHC model statewide. Eventually, it is expected that all 26 Community Mental Health Centers in Kansas will transition to the CCBHC model of care. This state designation will enhance Medicaid reimbursement for services, which will be helpful for expanding and sustaining needed services, Hill said.
Due to increased behavioral healthcare needs, High Plains applied for and received a two-year federal grant in 2021 to begin implementing CCBHC required programs. The grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is providing up to $2 million in annual funding and will expire in September 2023. As a result of the grant, High Plains has implemented several new programs and onboarded an additional 14 staff members. New programs include Medication Assisted Treatment to improve recovery outcomes for those experiencing opioid addiction and a mobile Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team currently serving Ellis County. The multi-disciplinary ACT team provides community-based services to better engage clients with serious mental illness and to help stabilize crisis situations in efforts to reduce hospitalization. Other programs include expanded integrated care locations and expanded outreach office sites, and increased focus on screening for certain physical health conditions and referring clients for needed primary medical care. High Plains has also expanded its prevention, education and outreach department. High Plains implemented early CCBHC services in January and has been working throughout the year to continue building the program.
While the CCBHC system of care is new to Kansas, it is not new. The U.S. currently has more than 430 CCBHCs nationwide operating in 42 states. CCBHCs are designed to improve suicide prevention, reduce drug overdose deaths, remove barriers to timely treatment access, improve access to care for veterans and active military, and reduce existing burdens on jails and hospital emergency departments.
Services will be available to all, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.
“Implementing and continuing to grow CCBHC services will ultimately result in better access to behavioral health services and better outcomes for those seeking needed health care,” said Mark Dinkel, High Plains CCBHC project director. “This is exciting news for Northwest Kansas and the expansion comes at a time when we continue to see increased needs for behavioral healthcare services.”
High Plains Mental Health Center currently has 25 service locations in the 20 counties served in northwest Kansas, in addition to school-based services. Telehealth services are also widely available from the privacy and comfort of home. To learn more, or to find the service location nearest you, call 1-800-432-0333 or visit hpmhc.com.