Through SAMHSA’s Certified Behavioral Health Clinic Grant Program (CCBHC), Community Mental Health Affiliates, Inc. (CMHA), will increase access to and improve the quality of community mental health, substance disorder, and co-occurring treatment services among adults, youth, and families in Central CT. The CCBHC will provide 24 hour/7-day access to community-based mental health, substance abuse, and co-occurring disorder treatment integrated with an on-site Federally Qualified Health Center.
The CCBHC service population includes adolescents and adults with serious mental illness (SMI), substance abuse disorder (SUD), and co-occurring disorders (COD), as well as children with serious emotional disorders (SED) in CMHA’s Central CT service area: Berlin, Bristol, Burlington, Kensington, New Britain, Plainville, Plymouth, Southington, and Terryville. US Census/agency data shows a target population of 238,618: 194,180 ages 18+, 19,759 ages 12-17 and 24,679 ages 4-11.
CMHA is the only Central CT provider which offers the full array of CCBHC services to a population of primarily indigent children and adults. In Fiscal Year 2019, CMHA served 4,050 clients - 3,770 adults over age 18 and 280 children ages 4-18; (70%) are from New Britain; 43% are Caucasian, 39% are Latino (a majority Puerto Rican), 12% are African-American, 6% are other/unknown. 95% fall at/below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level, with 77% on Medicaid, 19% on Medicare; 14% and .8% have a primary language of Spanish and Polish, respectively.
Agency and community data indicates need for more Open Access hours, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), Veteran/Military services, Targeted Case Management (TCM), Assertive Community Treatment (ACTT), and treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) youth. CCBHC Goals include: 1) To equip CCBHC staff with the skills and knowledge of evidence-based practice (EBP) by providing EBP model staff training (Motivational Interviewing/ Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (MI/CBT), Trauma, Recovery and Empowerment Model (TREM), Seeking Safety, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Modular Approach to Therapy (MATCH); 2) To reduce the incidence of death by drug overdose, suicide, and self-harm by increasing the availability 24/7 Mobile Crisis Teams and Open Access Clinic hours. 3) To reduce high risk behaviors, substance abuse, trauma symptoms, and improve behavioral health and daily living skills among target adults by expanding outpatient, telehealth, Assertive Community Treatment and Targeted Case Management. 4) To reduce behavioral and trauma symptoms and improve child/adolescent functioning by expanding EBPs for children/adolescents with SED/ASD. 5) To reduce chronic disease and premature death among adults and children by embedding the Community Health Center (CHC) into the CCBHC and further integrating primary and behavioral health care. 6) To reduce smoking and promote wellness and recovery by providing care management and recovery support groups. 7) To meet CCBHC goals/objectives by creating project management/governance structures. The CCBHC will serve a total of 2,510 unduplicated consumers.