Congress passes short-term extension of behavioral health clinic program

The House of Representatives today passed and sent to the President a Medicaid-related bill (H.R. 3253) that includes a provision extending the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic demonstration program through Sept. 13. The AHA-supported program, which expands access to mental health and substance-use disorder treatment through community-based clinics, expired last month. The House last month passed a bill that would extend the program through 2021, but the Senate amended the bill to include the shorter extension. The bill also extends the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration and impoverishment protections for people whose spouses receive Medicaid home- and community-based services, among other provisions.