White House on CCBHCs and Parity

July 25, 2023

THANK YOU to our intrepid reporter on Staten Island (you know who you are) who sent us the link (below) and the attached YouTube videos.

First, President Biden and guests on Mental Health Parity, CCBHCs here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2iIB6RcZFA

Also, Senator Debbie Stabenow thanks President Biden for the ongoing expansion of the CCBHC Demo across the country at the 2:53 mark – at the link above.  

Also, the National Council just released the following statement:

Earlier today, President Joe Biden and Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) gathered with behavioral health advocates to highlight the need for more changes to expand access to comprehensive mental health and substance use care services nationwide through new proposed rules to improve compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.

President Biden also expressed his strong support for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, stating that “CCBHCs have crisis support available 24/7 and they serve anyone who needs care regardless of their ability to pay. There are now 500 in 46 states[..] We’re going to keep increasing that number because we need more than 500.”

Too often, arbitrary barriers prevent people from getting the mental health and substance use treatment and care they need. Not knowing where to go or not knowing if it will result in a significant out-of-pocket cost is enough to stop someone from accessing lifesaving care. Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics remove these barriers by ensuring access to comprehensive and high-quality services, regardless of someone’s ability to pay.”- Chuck Ingoglia, President & CEO National Council for Mental Wellbeing 

In all of this, I want to again congratulate the members of the NYS Council for your advocacy to secure the CCBHC federal demonstration expansion now underway.  You rock & #NYSCouncilAdvocacyWorks!