Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Improvement and Advancement Grant (CCBHC-IA)
CCBHC-IA funds existing Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics to improve and expand the nine required CCBHC services, from 24/7 crisis care to care coordination and peer support. SAMHSA's CCBHC expansion grants were restructured into two tracks: Improvement and Advancement for clinics already operating as CCBHCs, and Planning, Development and Implementation for those getting there. Reviewers focus on a seven-page implementation approach and on organizational experience with all CCBHC criteria.
Program facts
- Agency
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Mental Health Services, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Assistance Listing
- 93.696
- Statutory authority
- Section 520A of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 290bb-32), as cited for SAMHSA's CCBHC expansion grants
- Award ceiling
- Up to $1,000,000 per year
- Awards
- The FY2026 NOFO (SM-26-015) estimated $117.2 million for 117 awards; a companion PDI NOFO (SM-26-014) funds organizations becoming CCBHCs
- Period of performance
- Up to 4 years
- Cost share
- None required; grant funds supplement and cannot supplant other payment, and services must still be billed to Medicaid and other payers where possible
- Cycle
- SAMHSA has posted CCBHC expansion NOFOs every one to two years. The FY2026 IA NOFO posted June 17, 2026 and closed August 17, 2026.
Program goals
- Sustain and enhance delivery of all nine required CCBHC services across the lifespan
- Meet the 2023 CCBHC Certification Criteria for staffing, access, care coordination and governance
- Serve at least 200 unduplicated individuals each year
- Report clinic-led quality measures and SAMHSA performance data
Scoring rubric
Section A: Population of Focus and Statement of Need15
A defined catchment area, a demographic profile showing the full range of populations CCBHCs must serve, service gaps from the most recent community needs assessment, and cited prevalence data.
Section B: Proposed Implementation Approach35
Measurable goals and objectives tied to the need, a chart of unduplicated people served each year, a plan for every required activity, and a four-year timeline with dates and responsible staff.
Section C: Evidence-Based and Evidence-Informed Practices5
How each practice fits the population, any modifications and the reasons for them, and how fidelity will be monitored.
Section D: Organizational Experience and Staffing25
Experience with SMI, SED, SUD and co-occurring services across the lifespan, Designated Collaborating Organizations with letters of commitment, and a staffing plan with level of effort.
Section E: Data Collection and Performance Measurement20
Specific outputs and outcomes, a random sampling approach for client-level data, and how data will drive quality improvement.
Section points follow the FY2026 CCBHC NOFO structure as summarized in the National Council's July 2026 information session; Section A was shown as 10 to 15 points. Applicants serving one of the 100 counties most affected by overdose mortality (NOFO Appendix C) could receive 5 priority points. Confirm against the SM-26-015 NOFO.
Eligibility
- Community-based behavioral health nonprofit organizations
- Organizations that are part of a local government behavioral health authority
- Organizations operated under the authority of the Indian Health Service, a tribe or a tribal organization
- Urban Indian Organizations with an IHS grant or contract under Title V of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act
- Applicants must already be a CCBHC (state-certified or a prior CCBHC expansion grantee), provide all nine required services and serve at least 200 unduplicated people a year
Required attachments
- Attachment 1: Letters of commitment from each Designated Collaborating Organization and direct service partner
- Attachment 11: CCBHC Licensure Checklist (NOFO Appendix B)
- Attachment 16: Letter from the state behavioral health authority
- Biographical sketches, job descriptions and an organizational chart
- SF-424, SF-424A, SF-424B, Project/Performance Site Location(s) form and Grants.gov Lobbying Form
Formatting rules
- 15-page Project Narrative limit (raised from 10 pages): about 2 pages for Section A, 7 for B, 1 for C, 3 for D and 2 for E
- Use only the attachments listed in the NOFO; extra attachments are disregarded
- Attachments cannot extend or replace narrative sections
- Submit through Grants.gov or eRA ASSIST, with attachments labeled Attachment 1, Attachment 2 and so on
Why applications lose points
- Not being licensed, certified or accredited for both mental health and substance use disorder services at the time of application
- Projecting fewer than 200 unduplicated individuals per year
- A timeline that does not cover all four years with responsible staff named
- Designated Collaborating Organizations named in the narrative without letters of commitment
- Using attachments to carry narrative content that reviewers then ignore
How ELIXIR CONSUMERS helps with CCBHC-IA
- 1.Maps your current services against the nine required CCBHC services and the 2023 certification criteria, citing your policies and licenses in the vault
- 2.Drafts Section A from your latest community needs assessment and flags any data older than three years
- 3.Builds the four-year timeline and unduplicated count chart from your EHR export
- 4.Keeps the narrative within the 15-page limit by section and warns when content drifts into attachments
More healthcare breakdowns
Questions, answered
What happened to CCBHC Expansion grants?
SAMHSA now issues them as two NOFOs: Improvement and Advancement (IA) for existing CCBHCs and Planning, Development and Implementation (PDI) for organizations becoming CCBHCs. Both use ALN 93.696.
Can a state-certified CCBHC apply?
Yes. State-certified CCBHCs in Medicaid demonstration or state plan models can apply for IA grants, subject to the NOFO's limits on concurrent awards.
Can grant funds pay for food?
The FY2026 NOFOs allow food in conjunction with treatment services at no more than $10 per client per day.
$ elixir trial --days 14
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