In July 2022, the NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) selected Anuvia Prevention and Recovery Center to become a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC). With this designation, Anuvia will be the only CCBHC in Mecklenburg County and one of 13 in North Carolina.
“The three-year CCBHC grant is enabling Anuvia to increase access to and improve the quality of behavioral health services for Mecklenburg County,” said Anuvia CEO Valerie Kopetzky. “As a CCBHC, Anuvia will offer critical behavioral health services to individuals and families, regardless of where they live or their ability to pay, thus meeting the needs of the most vulnerable in our community.”
Becoming a CCBHC means that Anuvia will provide or establish partnerships with other providers to offer a comprehensive array of services, comply with CCBHC standards of care and collect and report data to inform the expansion of community-based behavioral health services.
Goals of Anuvia’s CCBHC:
- Expand access to behavioral health care
- Expand access to primary care services
- Expand crisis services
- Decrease barriers to care
- Improve staff retention and staff experiences
CCBHC Community Clinical Director, Andrea Skidmore, MS, LCAS, CCS, MAC
Andrea Skidmore, MS, LCAS, CCS, MAC, is overseeing Anuvia’s transition to becoming a CCBHC as the Community Clinical Director. Andrea has worked in a variety of roles as a licensed clinical addiction specialist and a certified clinical supervisor in our community for 17 years. During her tenure at Anuvia she has also served as the Detox Manager and Residential Treatment Director.
For program collaboration contact Andrea Skidmore – Andrea.Skidmore@anuvia.org or 704-445-6865.
CCBHC FAQs
What is a CCBHC?
A Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic or CCBHC is a model of care or treatment philosophy designed to expand access to comprehensive, evidence-based, integrated behavioral and physical health care. CCBHCs are required to serve anyone who requests mental health or substance use treatment, regardless of their ability to pay or place of residence.
How is a CCBHC different than other behavioral health clinics?
CCBHCs are required to meet a stringent set of standards for the services they provide. Connecting people with care quickly is a priority for CCBHCs. CCBHCs must also provide a comprehensive continuum of services and care coordination to help people get all the services they need. Anuvia has one year to meet all the CCBHC compliance requirements. CCBHC is a certification that recognizes that Anuvia has met a set of standards to improve access to coordinated behavioral healthcare in Mecklenburg County.
Why is Anuvia becoming a CCBHC?
For more than 65 years Anuvia has been a safety net behavioral health provider. Becoming a CCBHC aligns with and more fully realizes our philosophy of providing a continuum of care to people in our community regardless of their ability to pay for services.
Anuvia applied for a grant from the NC Department of Health and Human Services to become a CCBHC, and was one of five organizations across the state selected and awarded the grant. The grant provides funding to allow Anuvia to expand services and meet the CCBHC requirements. It also helps off-set financial losses due to low reimbursement rates for many of the services provided.
How will becoming a CCBHC help Anuvia serve our community more effectively?
Becoming a CCBHC will allow Anuvia to expand access to behavioral health care, primary care services, and crisis services, to better address social determinants of health for the people we serve, and to improve staff retention and our staff experiences at Anuvia.
What services are CCBHCs required to provide?
There are 9 required services. CCBHCs may provide the service themselves, or through formal partnerships with other community organizations called Designated Collaborating Organizations (DCO). The 9 required services are:
- Community-Based Behavioral Health Care for Veterans
- Crisis Services
- Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Use Services
- Outpatient Primary Care Screening and Monitoring
- Peer, Family Support, and Counselor Services
- Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services
- Screening, Assessment, Diagnostic, and Risk Assessment
- Targeted Case Management
- Treatment Planning
If I want to partner with Anuvia’s CCBHC, how do I get connected with the program?
Please contact Andrea Skidmore, MS, LCAS, CCS, MAC, the Community Clinical Director for Anuvia’s CCBHC: Andrea.Skidmore@anuvia.org or 704-445-6865.
How can I support the development of Anuvia’s CCBHC?
Financial donations can be made by going to Anuvia’s donation page.
Or, for in-kind contributions or questions about donations and Anuvia’s wish list, please reach out to Stefanie Groot at stefanie.groot@anuvia.org or (704) 445-6882.