INDIANAPOLIS — Several Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics across the state will soon receive federal dollars to improve access to necessary mental health services, including 24/7 crisis care.
This week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Department of Health and Human Services said strides made by the state are why Indiana was chosen as one of ten new states to participate in a federal mental health pilot program — something several Indiana health care providers who are participating said is the result of years of hard work.
”We are all in this together," said Art Fuller, the CCBHC chief at Hamilton Center, Inc.
Fuller's clinic is one of eight Indiana CCBHCs the FSSA chose to participate in the program.
”What this designation does, it allows us collectively as a state to kinda walk hand-in-hand on really addressing what we need to do to help transform our system so that we can help our state serve all Hoosiers," said Fuller.
According to Fuller, funding for mobile crisis services and 988 awareness campaigns could receive a much-needed boost.
”This is really going to help us reduce that stigma statewide," said Fuller.
In a press release, the Biden Administration said pilot program centers would be fully reimbursed through Medicaid for services they provide.
”It’s [an] open door, no wrong door, so, we are not turning anyone away regardless of their ability to pay or not," Fuller said.
The FSSA said centers were chosen based on their availability of services, staffing and care coordination.
”The term we like to use is care coordination, and so instead of having to go here, there, and everywhere, CCBHCs can also help serve as that care coordination umbrella," said Fuller.
The FSSA said all eight centers should be ready to provide the required pilot program services by early 2025.