Enhanced Service Capacity for Severe Mental Illness: A Comparative Analysis of Certified Community Behavioral Health Centers, Community Mental Health Centers, and Federally Qualified Health Centers

Matthews, Elizabeth B.
Stanhope, Victoria

¹Graduate School of Social Service, Fordham University, New York, New York, USA
²Silver School of Social Work, New York University, New York, New York, USA

^*Correspondence: Elizabeth B. Matthews (e-mail: [email protected])

revision received June 26, 2025; Received February 05, 2025; Accepted June 27, 2025; previously published online July 15, 2025

Funding: The authors received no specific funding for this work.

Health Services Research Publish Ahead of Print, July 17, 2025. | DOI: 10.1111/1475-6773.70010

Objectives

The objective of this study is to update estimates of comprehensive service availability among CCBHCs and compare them to other settings serving individuals with severe mental illness, including community mental health centers (CMHCs) and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs).

Study Design and Setting

This study is a cross–sectional secondary data analysis.

Data Sources and Analytic Sample

Using 2022 National Substance Use and Mental Health Services Survey (N–SUMHSS) data, logistic regression examined associations between service setting (CCBHC, CMHC, FQHC) and the availability of psychiatric, health management, and navigation, and social care services.

Principle Findings

Compared to CCBHCs, FQHC designation was associated with a decreased likelihood of offering psychiatric rehabilitation services, including ACT (marginal effect = -0.26, 95% CI: -0.33 to -0.19) and peer coaching (marginal effect = -0.36, 95% CI: -0.43 to -0.29), and psychiatric crisis intervention (marginal effect = -0.14, 95% CI: -0.22 to -0.07). Rates of health management services were comparable to those at CCBHCs. CMHCs were also less likely to offer health management services (marginal effect = -0.26, 95% CI: -0.32 to -0.21) and a range of psychiatric rehabilitation services relative to CCBHCs.

Conclusions

CCBHC certified clinics were more likely to offer psychiatric and social services than FQHC or CMHC clinics serving individuals with severe mental illness.