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Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) have helped millions of people overcome barriers to care.
The 2026 CCBHC Impact Report illustrated that clearly. As we look for ways to strengthen the model, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing is shedding light on a new strategy. Alliances with managed care organizations can support CCBHCs in their mission to make mental wellbeing a reality for everyone.
A new resource published by the National Council, CCBHC & Managed Care Collaboration: A Guidebook, explains how this new collaboration of managed care organizations (MCOs), providers and CCBHCs can support the delivery of mental health and substance use treatment and care. The new resource offers practical recommendations for states and MCOs about how they can work together with CCBHCs to drive program success and quality improvement.
Why CCBHC and Managed Care Collaboration Matters
One goal of a collaboration between CCBHCs and MCOs is to make a patient’s experience more connected, said Andrew Schwend, senior strategic and operations advisor at Preferred Family Healthcare.
An MCO and a CCBHC often hold different but complementary pieces that a client needs. A health plan may have a broader view of a member’s hospital, emergency department, pharmacy and physical health activity, Schwend said, while a CCBHC has the community-based clinical team, relationships and service capacity needed to engage that person and act on the information.
“When those strengths are connected, people get help faster, transitions are safer and fewer people fall through the cracks,” Schwend said.
Key Benefits of CCBHC and MCO Partnerships
Better Data
Not only can the collaboration help improve patient outcomes, it can support MCO and CCBHCs through data sharing.
MCOs have information about hospitalizations that is extremely valuable to CCBHCs, said Natalie Cook, senior vice president, health, technology and data solutions at the Missouri Behavioral Health Council.
Because CCBHCs have to meet certain standards with respect to follow-up visits after hospitalizations, being able to get that data from the MCO in a timely manner is vital to the CCBHCs, Cook said. It’s also good for the MCO, because they have standards to meet.
“Knowing when someone went into the hospital and knowing when they were discharged is important for the CCBHC and the MCO,” Cook said.
Practical Steps for Effective Collaboration
Collaborations between MCOs and CCBHCs hold long-term potential. MCOs are an important stakeholder in CCBHC implementation, and increasing state-MCO-CCBHC collaboration can strengthen the model.
That’s one reason Molina Healthcare, an MCO, supported the effort to create this new guidebook.
“Molina Healthcare is proud to continue our long-standing partnership with the National Council to advance practical solutions that strengthen access to high-quality behavioral health care,” said Tory Gildred, associate vice president of behavioral health at Molina Healthcare of Washington. “The success of the CCBHC model depends on collaboration, clarity and shared accountability across the behavioral health system. Molina is committed to working together with state and community leaders to build stronger, more coordinated systems of care.”
Explore More Resources on CCBHCs and MCOs
- Check out the CCBHC & Managed Care Collaboration: A Guidebook and our other valuable resources.
- Our blog on the topic and the July 28 webinar we hosted are also full of useful information. We have scheduled a second webinar for September 17.
- And please don’t forget to dive into the 2026 CCBHC Impact Report, which is the most authoritative and comprehensive report available on CCBHCs.
