December 6, 2023

The NYS Council remains grateful to the Hochul administration for responding to our formal request last year to expand the federal CCBHC Demonstration Program here in New York.  We worked long and hard for this moment, having published a CCBHC Demonstration Program Financial Analysis a year ago after having proposed budget language to expand the Program that was ultimately included in the enacted state budget.

We are enthused to see that 10 of the 13 awards (yellow highlight = NYS Council member agency) went to our member organizations.  Of course, there is more to come with an additional 13 awards still in the pipeline so keep the faith!

Congratulations to all!
———————————-
Date: Wed, Dec 6, 2023 at 11:59 AM
Subject: Fwd: GOVERNOR HOCHUL ANNOUNCES DOUBLING OF COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINICS, FUNDING 13 NEW CLINICS ACROSS NEW YORK

From: Press Office <Press.Office@exec.ny.gov>
Date: December 6, 2023 at 11:43:20 AM EST
Subject:GOVERNOR HOCHUL ANNOUNCES DOUBLING OF COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINICS, FUNDING 13 NEW CLINICS ACROSS NEW YORK



GOVERNOR HOCHUL ANNOUNCES DOUBLING OF COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CLINICS, FUNDING 13 NEW CLINICS ACROSS NEW YORK

Clinics Serve Roughly 65,000 New Yorkers Annually; Provide Behavioral Health Services Regardless of Ability to Pay

Governor’s $1 Billion Plan to Expand New York’s Continuum of Mental Health Care Will Triple Number of Clinics Statewide

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced conditional funding for 13 new Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, part of the Governor’s $1 billion plan to transform the continuum of mental health care. New York’s nation-leading work to bolster mental health services and create integrated care models will help the needs of New Yorkers regardless of their ability to pay and to close gaps in coverage. Administered by the state Office of Mental Health in partnership with the Office of Addiction Services and Supports, these clinics will receive $3.5 million, doubling the number of clinics statewide – including six new locations in New York City – and greatly expanding the areas providing person-centered and trauma-informed care for individuals experiencing behavioral health issues.

“Far too often, New Yorkers dealing with mental health issues and addiction are forced to piece together the specialized care they need in a system that has historically not been set up to treat the whole person,” Governor Hochul said. “Last year I prioritized a $1 billion investment to transform the continuum of mental health care in New York. By significantly expanding the number of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics throughout our state, we can better align mental health care and addiction care to make treatment more accessible to all New Yorkers.”

First year conditional start-up funding of $265,000 was awarded to 13 service providers to establish clinics in seven upstate counties and three boroughs of New York City. These new sites will join 13 established clinics, which now provide walk-in, immediate integrated mental health and substance use disorder services for roughly 65,000 individuals of all ages and insurance status.

In New York City, conditional start-up funding was awarded to:

• Ohel Children’s Home & Family in Brooklyn
• Interborough Developmental Center in Brooklyn
• Catholic Charities Neighborhood Services in Queens
• Outreach Development Corporation in Queens
• Community Association of Progressive Dominicans in Manhattan
• Postgraduate Center for Mental Health in Manhattan

In areas upstate, these conditional awards were provided to:

• Behavioral Health Services North in the Capital Region
• Upstate Cerebral Palsy in the Mohawk Valley
• CASA Trinity in the Southern Tier
• Liberty Resources in Central New York
• Finger Lakes Counseling & Recovery Agency in the Finger Lakes
• Westchester Jewish Community Services in Mid-Hudson
• Behavioral Health Services North in the North Country

Governor Hochul announced the awards during a visit to VIP Community Services in the Bronx on Wednesday. Since 1974, VIP has operated a clinic providing family-centered integrated services for mental illness and substance use disorders, including crisis intervention services and care coordination.

Governor Hochul’s FY 2024 budget expanded funding for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics statewide by $14.7 Million, including funding from the state’s newly created uncompensated care pool. With the first sites established in New York in 2017, these clinics provide comprehensive services and coordinate care across behavioral, physical health, and social service systems. These clinics provide care to any individual needing assistance for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay, place of residence, or age.

Earlier this year, New York State allocated $5.1 million for the expansion of existing clinics using federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars. These funds will further enhance the impact of this valuable program across New York State.

These clinics link individuals to or directly provide crisis mental health services, including 24-hour mobile crisis teams, emergency crisis intervention, and crisis stabilization; screening and assessments; patient-centered treatment planning; and outpatient mental health and substance use services. In addition, these facilities help connect individuals to outpatient primary care screening and monitoring; targeted case management; psychiatric rehabilitation services; peer and family support services; and intensive community-based mental health care for veterans and members of the armed services.

New York State Office of Mental Health Commissioner Dr. Ann Sullivan said, “New Yorkers need to be able to access the services they need in one place that provides integrated substance use, mental health and physical health care. Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics provide this comprehensive care and by expanding them statewide, we can greatly improve access across New York State. With this expansion, Governor Hochul is staying true to her commitment to ensure all New Yorkers have access to quality mental health care.”

Office of Addiction Services and Supports Commissioner Dr. Chinazo Cunningham said, “The creation of these new clinics follows through on the promise Governor Hochul made to expand the state’s continuum of care for those requiring services for behavioral, physical health, substance use and other co-occurring conditions. It demonstrates a firm commitment by the state to provide comprehensive care that meets the unique health care needs of all New Yorkers, and OASAS looks forward to continuing to expand this innovative model to help more people access help and support they need.”

VIP Community Services CEO Debbian Fletcher-Blake said, “VIP is pleased that the Governor is invested in the care of people with mental illness and substance use disorder. Her support for CCBHCs will undoubtedly change the way care is delivered in our State. This model of care symbolizes true integrated care. This funding is an investment in equitable health care for New Yorkers. I appreciate both OASAS and OMH for investing in this model.”

State Senator Samra Brouk said, “As Chair of the New York State Senate Committee on Mental Health, I’m grateful to Governor Hochul for her commitment to bolstering our state’s mental health infrastructure. These new Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics will help ensure that more New Yorkers can receive compassionate, dignified care in a timely manner by better aligning mental health care and addiction care and by reducing barriers to care. I look forward to continued collaboration with the Governor to transform our mental health system.”

State Senator Natalia Fernandez said, “I am thrilled to see Governor Hochul’s commitment to expanding access to mental health care through the funding of 13 new Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. This initiative is a critical step in ensuring that New Yorkers, regardless of their ability to pay, have access to person-centered and trauma-informed care for behavioral health issues. By tripling the number of clinics statewide, we are making strides towards a more integrated and comprehensive mental health care system. It is crucial we continue addressing the gaps in coverage and fighting for the recovery of every individual battling behavioral health issues, regardless of their circumstances.”

Assemblymember Aileen Gunther said, “Behavioral Health care is vital to all our communities. As a registered nurse and Assemblymember I have seen firsthand the struggle to provide adequate access to mental health care for all New Yorkers. I applaud Governor Hochul on the investment in 13 new behavioral health clinics.  I have always fought for what was best for my constituents, and I look forward to working with Governor Hochul on further expanding our behavioral healthcare infrastructure so that all those in need of mental health support especially in rural and upstate Counties have the access they need.”

The clinic expansion is part of a $181.6 million investment to dramatically expand outpatient services. The phased expansion called for in the plan will develop 26 new clinics by July 2025.

Funding for the clinics is part of Governor Hochul’s $1 billion plan to improve New York State’s mental health care system by adding capacity system-wide, expanding existing programs with a record of success, and funding new evidence-based initiatives aimed at closing identified gaps. Adopted as part of the FY 2024 State Budget in May, this plan is aimed at dramatically expanding access, reducing wait times, and ensuring appropriate levels of care for all New Yorkers living with mental illness.

The plan includes expanding outpatient community-based services, creating new supportive housing units to serve New Yorkers with mental illness, and building-out programs that have a demonstrated record of success. The plan also builds on prior investments made under Governor Hochul’s leadership, helping to close gaps and ensure the system adequately serves the mental health care needs of all New Yorkers in crisis, including marginalized and vulnerable populations.

Earlier this fall, the Office of Mental Health finalized guidance on evaluation and discharge practices for comprehensive psychiatric emergency programs and emergency departments, and for Article 28 and Private Article 31 inpatient facilities. This guidance sets the expected standard of care for assessing, evaluating, and discharging individuals with behavioral health conditions and will help ensure that individuals leave with appropriate community support.

The agency is also developing 50 new Critical Time Intervention care coordination teams to provide wrap-around services for discharged patients –from treatment, to housing, to community and recovery support. Simultaneously, 42 new Assertive Community Treatment teams are being developed to provide intensive community services to New Yorkers with the highest level of need.

Complementing these efforts, Governor Hochul established the state’s first Transition to Home units at the Manhattan Psychiatric Center to help provide recovery-oriented, person-centered care for individuals struggling with chronic homelessness. These two 25-bed inpatient units are staffed by a multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, and other clinical and non-clinical personnel to provide recovery-focused treatment with a goal of eventually discharging patients to community-based care.

As part of the plan, OMH is also providing funding to develop and operate 3,500 new residential units for New Yorkers with mental illness. These units include 500 community residence-single room occupancy units, which provide housing and intensive services to individuals with serious mental illness who are at the highest risk of homelessness; 900 transitional step-down units; 600 licensed apartment units serving individuals who require an intermediate level of services.

Also included are 1,500 supportive housing units that will serve individuals with a serious mental illness who have less acute needs, but still require support to live independently. To date, OMH has issued procurements for nearly $690 million of the total funding made available by the plan.