Association Executive Directors Community

Dear Association Executives – I am writing to follow-up on our communications earlier this week about SAMHSA's new Community Mental Health Centers Grant Program Funding Opportunity Announcement for which applications are due May 21, 2021. Importantly, we wanted to share with you the definition of CMHCs as defined by Section 1913 (c) of the Public Health Services Act to ensure clarity about the wide array of providers in our space that are eligible to apply.

Topline Summary

• Total Funding: $825 million
• Anticipated Award Amount: $500,000 to $2,500,000 per year
• Length of Project: Up to two years
• Eligibility: Community Mental Health Centers, including state and local government-operated Community Mental Health Centers, as defined by Section 1913 (c) of the Public Health Services Act.

Definition of Community Mental Health Centers per Section 1913 (c) of the Public Health Services Act:

• With respect to mental health services, the centers provide services as follows:
• Services principally to individuals residing in a defined geographic area (hereafter in this subsection referred to as a "service area").
• Outpatient services, including specialized outpatient services for children, the elderly, individuals with a serious mental illness, and residents of the service areas of the centers who have been discharged from inpatient treatment at a mental health facility.
• 24-hour-a-day emergency care services.
• Day treatment or other partial hospitalization services, or psychosocial rehabilitation services.
• Screening for patients being considered for admission to State mental health facilities to determine the appropriateness of such admission.
• The mental health services of the centers are provided, within the limits of the capacities of the centers, to any individual residing or employed in the service area of the center regardless of ability to pay for such services.
• The mental health services of the centers are available and accessible promptly, as appropriate and in a manner, which preserves human dignity and assures continuity and high-quality care.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Michael Petruzzelli
Director, Federal Policy and Advocacy
National Council for Behavioral Health
Direct: (202) 774-1660
Email: MichaelP@TheNationalCouncil.org

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Neal Comstock
Director of Membership
National Council
NealC@TheNationalCouncil.org
202 748-8793
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I'm seeking more information on how states are handling the issue of whether their providers meet CMHC definitions. Maryland had previously received a federal determination that its outpatient mental health clinics were not CMHCs, which allowed them to bill Medicare using the higher, non-facility rates. Curious on the exact language or efforts in other states around applying CMHC definition for these SAMHSA grants.

Many thanks,
Shannon Hall

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Shannon Hall
Executive Director
Community Behavioral Health Association of Maryland
Catonsville MD
410-788-1865 ext 2
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Original Message:
Sent: 04-08-2021 14:22
From: Neal Comstock
Subject: Follow-up to SAMHSA CMHC FOA Due May 21, 2021

Dear Association Executives – I am writing to follow-up on our communications earlier this week about SAMHSA's new Community Mental Health Centers Grant Program Funding Opportunity Announcement for which applications are due May 21, 2021. Importantly, we wanted to share with you the definition of CMHCs as defined by Section 1913 (c) of the Public Health Services Act to ensure clarity about the wide array of providers in our space that are eligible to apply.

Topline Summary

• Total Funding: $825 million
• Anticipated Award Amount: $500,000 to $2,500,000 per year
• Length of Project: Up to two years
• Eligibility: Community Mental Health Centers, including state and local government-operated Community Mental Health Centers, as defined by Section 1913 (c) of the Public Health Services Act.

Definition of Community Mental Health Centers per Section 1913 (c) of the Public Health Services Act:

• With respect to mental health services, the centers provide services as follows:
• Services principally to individuals residing in a defined geographic area (hereafter in this subsection referred to as a "service area").
• Outpatient services, including specialized outpatient services for children, the elderly, individuals with a serious mental illness, and residents of the service areas of the centers who have been discharged from inpatient treatment at a mental health facility.
• 24-hour-a-day emergency care services.
• Day treatment or other partial hospitalization services, or psychosocial rehabilitation services.
• Screening for patients being considered for admission to State mental health facilities to determine the appropriateness of such admission.
• The mental health services of the centers are provided, within the limits of the capacities of the centers, to any individual residing or employed in the service area of the center regardless of ability to pay for such services.
• The mental health services of the centers are available and accessible promptly, as appropriate and in a manner, which preserves human dignity and assures continuity and high-quality care.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Michael Petruzzelli
Director, Federal Policy and Advocacy
National Council for Behavioral Health
Direct: (202) 774-1660
Email: MichaelP@TheNationalCouncil.org

------------------------------
Neal Comstock
Director of Membership
National Council
NealC@TheNationalCouncil.org
202 748-8793
------------------------------