What is a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC)?
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) are designed to provide comprehensive, coordinated mental health and substance use disorder services to anyone in the community, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. The CCBHC framework was established through the Excellence in Mental Health Act, which was enacted as part of the Protecting Access to Medicare Act (PAMA) in 2014.
At a basic level, the CCBHC model requires:
- Crisis services to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Comprehensive behavioral health services to be available so individuals seeking care do not have to piece together the behavioral health services and supports they need across multiple providers.
- Care coordination to help individuals navigate behavioral health care, physical health care, social services and other systems with which they are involved.
CCBHCs in North Dakota
During the 69th North Dakota Legislative Assembly (2025), the North Dakota Legislature authorized the Department of Health and Human Services to establish rules for the certification of community behavioral health (NDCC 50-06-41.4). These certification rules were promulgated on April 1, 2026 (NDAC 75-03-44) and were built off of the National CCBHC Certification Criteria.
NDCC 50-06-01.3 defines "certified community behavioral health clinic" as a private or public behavioral health clinic or a state-operated behavioral health clinic designated by the department to deliver a comprehensive range of mental health and substance use disorder services in accordance with the certification criteria set forth by the department.
North Dakota CCBHC Demonstration
In December 2024, North Dakota HHS was awarded a one-year, $1 million, planning grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to support the design and implementation of a North Dakota Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) program.
States that received a state planning grant were required to apply to be part of the CCBHC Demonstration in March 2026. On May 28, 2026, SAMHSA announced North Dakota was one of ten states selected to join the new cohort of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Medicaid Demonstration Program. The Demonstration is a 4-year program that requires the State to:
- certify providers meeting CCBHC criteria,
- develop a specialized prospective payment system (PPS) rate methodology for Medicaid payment, and
- allows the state to receive enhanced federal funding once CCBHCs have been certified by the State.
Through this demonstration project, North Dakota is focusing on improving the availability, access to, and scope of behavioral health services for Medicaid eligible children, adolescents, adults, and older adults with behavioral health needs, with a primary focus on individuals who experience serious mental illness (SMI), serious emotional disturbance (SED), substance use disorders (SUD), or cooccurring mental health and substance use conditions.
Resources:
Process at a Glance:
- Review eligibility criteria (NDAC 75-03-44-02)
- Request the Intent to Pursue Certification by emailing dhsbhd@nd.gov.
- Submit an Intent to Pursue Certification
- If Intent to Pursue Certification is approved:
- Complete Community Needs Assessment and Cost Report (templates are provided once Intent to Pursue Certification is approved)
- Complete and submit ND CCBHC Certification application (application is provided once Intent to Pursue Certification is approved)
The eligibility requirements for North Dakota CCBHC Certification, outlined in NDAC 75-03-44-02, include:
- Current or pending accreditation by a nationally recognized accreditation body with standards specific to delivery of behavioral health care services for mental illness and substance use disorder; and
- Have a minimum of three years of demonstrated experience providing evidence-based practices for individuals experiencing serious and persistent mental illness, serious mental illness, serious emotional disturbance, or complex or severe substance use disorders and a track record of providing person-centered, recovery-oriented, and trauma-informed care; and
- Enrolled as a qualified Medicaid provider (find information here on enrollment process: ND Medicaid Provider Enrollment); and
- Have received department approval on the Intent to Pursue Certification pursuant to NDAC 75-03-44-03; and
- Meet at least one of the following criteria:
- Be a nonprofit organization, exempt from taxation as provided under 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code [26 U.S.C. 501(c)(3)]; or
- Be a part of a state or local government behavioral health authority; or
- Be operated under the authority of the Indian Health Service, an Indian Tribe, or a Tribal organization pursuant to a contract, grant, cooperative agreement, or compact with the Indian Health Service pursuant to the Indian Self-Determination Act [25 U.S.C. 1651 et seq.]; or
- Be an Urban Indian organization pursuant to a grant or contract with the Indian Health Service under Title V of thee Indian Health Care Compact Act [25 U.S.C. 1651 et seq.].