Mountain Lakes Behavioral Healthcare (MLBH) has been officially selected by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Alabama Department of Mental Health (ADMH) to participate in the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) Demonstration Program.
This achievement marks a major milestone for mental health and substance abuse services in Marshall and Jackson Counties, placing Mountain Lakes among a select group of behavioral health organizations in Alabama recognized for meeting the nation’s highest standards of integrated, accessible, and accountable care.
The CCBHC model represents a national movement to expand access to comprehensive, person-centered behavioral health care. As a CCBHC, Mountain Lakes Behavioral Healthcare will ensure that any individual — regardless of diagnosis, ability to pay, or place of residence — can receive timely, high-quality mental health and substance use treatment.
Key benefits of the CCBHC model include:
• 24/7 Crisis Response: Continuous access to crisis care, including mobile crisis teams, coordination with 988 call centers and crisis stabilization services.
• Integrated Care Coordination: Seamless collaboration between behavioral health, primary care, hospitals, schools, law enforcement and social service partners.
• Expanded Access to Treatment: No wait lists, no service restrictions and timely appointments for adults, children, veterans and first responders.
• Focus on Outcomes and Accountability: Data-driven performance standards to ensure quality, effectiveness, and continuous improvement.
• Support for Rural Communities: Enhanced outreach through mobile clinics and telehealth to ensure that individuals in rural areas can access care close to home.
“This is a transformational step for our communities,” said Myron Gargis, Executive Director of Mountain Lakes Behavioral Healthcare. “Becoming a CCBHC means our system of care is more connected, more responsive and more accessible than ever before. It allows us to deliver high-quality treatment, crisis intervention and recovery support to every individual who needs it—when and where they need it most.”
Gargis added, “We are deeply grateful to the Alabama Department of Mental Health and SAMHSA for recognizing our commitment to excellence. This designation will allow Mountain Lakes to expand services, attract new professionals, and strengthen the behavioral health safety net for North Alabama.”
The CCBHC model thrives on partnership. Mountain Lakes Behavioral Healthcare works closely with local hospitals, law enforcement agencies, courts, schools, veteran organizations and faith-based partners to build a comprehensive community network of care.
“Our success depends on collaboration,” Gargis said. “We’re working side by side with community leaders, first responders and healthcare partners to ensure that individuals in crisis are met with compassion, expertise and immediate help—not barriers.”
Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) are designed to ensure access to coordinated comprehensive behavioral health care. CCBHCs are required to serve anyone who requests care for mental health or substance use, regardless of their ability to pay, place of residence or age. This includes developmentally appropriate care for children and youth.
CCBHCs must meet standards for the range of services they provide and are required to get people into care quickly. The CCBHC model requires:
•Crisis services to be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
•Comprehensive behavioral health services to be available so people who need care don’t have to piece together the behavioral health support they need across multiple providers.
•Care coordination to be provided to help people navigate behavioral health care, physical health care, social services and the other systems they are involved in.
The Office of Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHC) is responsible for implementing a statewide transformation of Alabama’s Behavioral Health System using the CCBHC Model of Care. The office is responsible for providing systems change processes for Alabama’s current Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC). Following the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) CCBHC Criteria, this office provides training and technical assistance to certified 310 CMHCs in developing the readiness necessary for this transformation.
CCBHCs are specially designated clinics that must provide services to anyone seeking help for a mental health or substance use condition, regardless of their place of residence, ability to pay or age. This includes any individual with a mental or substance use disorder who seeks care, including those with serious mental illness (SMI); substance use disorder (SUD) including opioid use disorder and severe SUD; children and adolescents with serious emotional disturbance (SED); individuals with co-occurring mental and substance disorders (COD); and individuals experiencing a mental health or substance use-related crisis.
CCBHCs offer:
•Comprehensive, coordinated mental health and substance use services appropriate for individuals across the life span
•Increased access to high-quality community mental health and substance use care, including crisis care
•Integrated person- and family-centered services, driven by the needs and preferences of people receiving services and their families
•A range of evidence-based practices, services and supports to meet the needs of their communities.
These clinics must directly provide or contract with a Designated Collaborating Organization (DCO) to deliver nine required services:
•Crisis Services including 24/7 mobile crisis teams, emergency crisis intervention, and crisis stabilization
•Screening, Assessment, and Diagnosis
•Person-Centered and Family -Centered Treatment Planning
•Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Use Services
•Primary Care Screening and Monitoring
•Targeted Case Management Services
•Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services
•Peer Supports and Family/Caregiver Supports
•Community Care for Uniformed Service Members & Veterans
