With Bipartisan Support From Congress, This Innovative Solution is Now Reaching People in 40% of U.S. Counties
WASHINGTON, Aug. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2026 CCBHC Impact Report, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing's bi-annual benchmark on Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs), finds that an estimated 3.4 million people received care at the nation's 539 CCBHCs in 2025 — up nearly 13% compared to January 2024 — dramatically expanding access to care and reaching people with unmet needs on a national scale.
"CCBHCs are an innovative solution that help people with mental health and substance use challenges overcome barriers to care," National Council President and CEO Chuck Ingoglia said. "We're grateful for the ongoing bipartisan support from Congress as we help to make mental wellbeing – the foundation of living a strong, healthy and fulfilling life – a reality for everyone."
This new edition of the CCBHC Impact Report, the only report to measure the work of all the nation's 539 clinics, shows that:
CCBHCs are reaching people with the highest needs, delivering evidence-based care to community members with serious mental illness and substance use disorders.
- CCBHCs served nearly 1.4 million people with serious mental illness (SMI) or serious emotional disturbance (SED), representing 54% of CCBHC clients.
- More than 500,000 people in the U.S. with substance use disorder (SUD) received care from a CCBHC in 2025. Among those living with an opioid use disorder, half received medication-assisted treatment – more than triple the national average.
CCBHCs are improving outcomes for people involved with the criminal justice system, reducing the burden of mental health response on our nation's law enforcement agencies and courts.
- More than three-quarters (76%) of CCBHCs report positive justice system outcomes, such as diversion from arrest to treatment, increased joint response or co-responder activities, and reduced law enforcement time spent responding to behavioral health crises.
CCBHCs are also improving housing and employment outcomes, reflecting their role in delivering high-quality, effective services that get people off the streets and back to work.
- 73% of CCBHCs report positive housing outcomes among their clients, including reduced homelessness and increased housing retention.
- 65% report positive employment outcomes among the people they serve, including increased employment, work readiness and job retention.
CCBHCs are increasing access to care for children and youth through an expanded workforce, targeted services and community partnerships.
- Three-quarters of CCBHCs (73%) deliver services in schools or childcare settings, serving children and families in more than 9,000 schools across the nation.
- Of all groups served by CCBHCs, children and youth saw the most widespread gains in access: 57% of CCBHCs reported serving more young people in 2025 than before becoming a CCBHC.
CCBHCs are increasing access to primary care for the people they serve, helping to address root drivers of chronic disease and improve long-term physical health among people with SMI and SUD.
- Nearly half of CCBHCs offer behavioral health and primary care services in the same location, making it easier for individuals to receive comprehensive care in one setting.
- They are strengthening partnerships with primary care providers, such as Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), to help people receive seamless, integrated care that addresses both their physical and behavioral needs.
- As a result, 76% reported that referrals to primary care have increased since becoming a CCBHC, including 35% reporting that referrals have increased by 20% or more.
"CCBHCs ensure that people receive care where they are, regardless of ability to pay and connect clients to the full range of supports needed for recovery and wellbeing," said Kyle Kessler, National Council board member and executive director of the Association of Community Mental Health Centers of Kansas. "They increase access and build a health care infrastructure that did not previously exist."
"Everyone deserves the right to be healthy, and CCBHCs provide people with that opportunity," Ingoglia said. "Our vision is defined by what drives us, and we see a future where CCBHCs are the cornerstone of an accessible, comprehensive care system — a proven model that meets people where they are and wraps them in the full continuum of support they need to be healthy."
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What Is a CCBHC?
Data and fast facts
About The National Council
Founded in 1969, the National Council for Mental Wellbeing is a membership organization that drives policy and social change on behalf of over 3,200 mental health and substance use treatment organizations and the more than 15 million children, adults and families they serve. We advocate for policies to ensure access to high-quality services. We build the capacity of mental health and substance use treatment organizations. And we promote greater understanding of mental wellbeing as a core component of comprehensive health and health care. Through our Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program, we have trained over 5 million people in the U.S. to identify, understand and respond to signs and symptoms of mental health and substance use challenges.
Media Contact
Sophia Majlessi
Media@TheNationalCouncil.org
202-621-1631
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SOURCE National Council for Mental Wellbeing
