Weld County’s Community Mental Health Center Becomes a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic

At a time when we could all use mental health support, Weld County can now boast of having a community mental health center that joins the ranks as a nationally recognized center of excellence. North Range Behavioral Health has been awarded a grant from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to become a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). This designation will allow North Range to expand community-based services for people who need mental health and substance use treatment.

As a CCBHC, North Range Behavioral Health will receive federal funding to expand community-based services and care coordination for people who need mental health and substance use treatment by creating easier access to care and enhancing services such as 24/7/365 mobile crisis teams, care for active and military veterans, and immediate screening and risk assessment.

Through this grant, Colorado’s CCBHCs are required to broaden current services such as:

1. 1. 24/7/365 mobile crisis team services to help people stabilize in the most clinically appropriate, least restrictive, least traumatizing, and most cost-effective settings.
   2. Immediate screening and risk assessment for mental health, addictions, and basic primary care needs to ameliorate the chronic co-morbidities that drive poor health outcomes and high costs for those with behavioral health disorders.
   3. Easy access to care with criteria to assure a reduced wait time so those who need services can receive them when they need them, regardless of ability to pay or location of residence.
   4. Tailored care for active-duty military and veterans to ensure they receive the unique health support essential to their treatment.
   5. Expanded care coordination with local primary care providers, hospitals, other health care providers, social service providers, and law enforcement, with a focus on whole health and comprehensive access to a full range of medical, behavioral, and supportive services.
   6. Commitment to peers and family, recognizing that their involvement is essential for recovery and should be fully integrated into care.

By design, the CCBHC grant aligns with North Range Behavioral Health’s commitment to continuous improvement and will help North Range commit resources and time toward analyzing current services and finding ways to make things better for Weld County residents.

“As we enter this exciting chapter with CCBHC funding, North Range Behavioral Health is eager to join other mental health centers from around the country in discovering new opportunities for serving the behavioral health needs of our communities. By providing a higher level of funding stability to behavioral health services, becoming a CCBHC will result in greater access to care for people throughout Weld County. I truly believe this funding is the way of the future.” said Larry Pottorff, Executive Director of North Range Behavioral Health.

Since 2018, Congress has appropriated $400 million for CCBHC expansion grants designed to further the reach of behavioral health organizations across the country that have proven to embody effective and efficient practices. North Range Behavioral Health joins three other Colorado mental health centers as CCBHC leaders in the state. Southeast Health Group, Mental Health Partners, and Aurora Mental Health Center have also received the CCBHC designation, joining others across the country.

“These grants have provided organizations an opportunity to build upon current access to comprehensive mental health and addiction care to Colorado’s most vulnerable individuals,” stated Doyle Forrestal, CEO of the Colorado Behavioral Health Council (CBHC). “We look forward to continuing to expand and innovate in partnership with our state and federal partners.”

To learn more about CCBHCs, the National Council for Behavioral Health has developed a resource that can be found here.