When the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model was introduced, it created a single expectation across the country: one front door into a coordinated continuum of care. Over time, communities have taken that idea and built clinics that anchor crisis response, outpatient care, substance use treatment, and care coordination in one place.

The latest national data reflects meaningful progress—more counties served, more comprehensive services available, and more infrastructure in place than at any point before. But it also confirms what many leaders already see on the ground: large parts of the country still don’t have a CCBHC. For families, that can mean traveling long distances for support. For first responders, it often means carrying more responsibility than they should. And for providers, it can feel like assembling a full behavioral-health system without the resources a CCBHC typically provides.

Still, the story isn’t defined by what’s missing. It’s defined by what communities are building.

In regions without a CCBHC, we’re seeing counties develop regional models, strengthen cross-county agreements, expand the roles of CMHCs and FQHCs, grow peer-led programs, and stand up mobile crisis teams that operate effectively across wide geographic areas. Some communities use telehealth to bridge long distances; others leverage grants to begin constructing the early pieces of a future CCBHC-level framework. Progress doesn’t look identical everywhere—nor should it. Every community starts from a different point and grows from there.

From Cloud 9’s perspective, the most encouraging trend is the level of coordination emerging across systems. The CCBHC model provides a strong national benchmark, but the day-to-day collaboration between counties, clinics, payers, and crisis teams is what moves the field forward. That kind of coordination saves lives, and it often begins well before a formal designation is achieved.

The next steps will differ by region. Some counties will pursue full CCBHC certification. Others will build hybrid models that align with local needs and resources. Many will continue strengthening partnerships through shared data systems, coordinated crisis response, and clearer communication across agencies.

What matters most is that communities continue shaping solutions together. Cloud 9 is proud to support those efforts by helping partners communicate, coordinate, and respond as a connected system—wherever they are on the CCBHC path.

Access isn’t defined solely by geography or certification. It’s defined by connection. And connection is something every community can build, starting from where they are today.

‍