Idaho is about two years into a planned transformation in how people access mental health and substance use disorder care; it has made progress but still has a ways to go.
Leaders in the process of pivoting to a Community Behavioral Health Clinic Model gathered at the Idaho Behavioral Health Association conference Friday in downtown Boise to discuss the progress made and the vision for the new system.
The new system is meant to expand access to behavioral health in the state and prevent expensive crises, which often lead to emergency room visits or jail time. The state has expanded some access, but there’s a concern the workforce won’t be able to meet the demand.
Idaho, with state and federal funds, helped create four Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics, known as CCBHCs, that provide mental health and substance use disorder treatment regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.
Many states across the country are moving to the CCBHC model, but Idaho is unique because all of the behavioral health clinics in the program are also what’s known as Federally Qualified Health Centers — which provide primary health services in underserved communities.