QUINCY — Two service providers in Quincy will be participating in the Certified Community Behavioral Health Medicaid Demonstration after the state of Illinois was added to the program this week.
“The CCBHC Medicaid Demonstration Program will provide sustainable funding to states and help behavioral health organizations expand access to mental health and substance use services,” said Barb Baker Chapin, development director for Transitions of Western Illinois. Transitions and Clarity Healthcare are two of 15 Illinois organizations selected for the program’s expansion.
Chapin said the expansion of CCBHC is just one part of the federal government’s efforts to provide more help to people who need mental health services.
“The Biden administration has launched an effort to address the nation’s mental health and addiction crisis,” she said. “Their efforts began with the implementation of the National Crisis Hotline (9-8-8) about two years ago.”
“We are excited to be part of this Medicaid demonstration project and become a Certified Community Behavioral Health Center,” she added. “Being selected as a participant in the CCBHC project means we can better serve the mental health and substance use treatment needs of people in our community. For the people who come to Transitions for treatment, it means they will be able to have their treatment needs addressed in a timely manner and have access to additional services that will help them live comfortably in our community.”
Clarity Executive Director Stacey Juilfs echoed that sentiment in a statement released after the announcement.
“We are excited about this opportunity to expand access to critical mental health and substance use services in Illinois,” Juilfs said. “Being designated a CCBHC will allow Clarity Healthcare to play a key role in this important effort, ensuring members of our community have the resources they need to thrive.”
Chapin explained that participating providers will receive sustainable funding, which will allow organizations like Transitions to expand the services they offer to meet the requirements of the CCBHC program.
“For example, we will provide crisis intervention services, expanded services for people with severe mental illness, and care coordination services, particularly with increased collaboration with primary care providers,” she said.
“Clarity Healthcare is committed to serving our community for many years to come, regardless of financial constraints,” Juilfs said. “Becoming a CCBHC will significantly increase our impact and ensure our most vulnerable residents receive the quality mental health and substance use services they deserve.”
Chapin said under the program, CCBHC is required to provide timely services to people who need mental health services, substance abuse services or both, and that two recent community needs assessments, one by Transitions and one by the Adams County United Way, identified mental health services as an issue that needed to be addressed in the Quincy area.
“Having a CCBHC in our area means our residents have better access to quality mental health treatment services,” Chapin said. “Having access to treatment when they need it is a win-win for the individual, their family, their employer and our community.”
