May marked the fourth anniversary of the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model in Kansas. Today, 25 CCBHCs serve all 105 counties across the state, helping more Kansans access the mental health and substance use services they need. Wyandot Behavioral Health Network was proud to be one of the first six organizations selected to implement this innovative model.
To say that CCBHCs have transformed the delivery of mental health and substance use services would be an understatement.
Since becoming a CCBHC in 2022, Wyandot BHN has expanded access to care through enhanced care coordination, mobile crisis response, and stronger partnerships with healthcare and community organizations. Through our care coordination efforts, we connected more than 1,500 clients to a primary care provider in less than two years and completed 829 referrals to more than 150 community partners last year alone.
Our mobile crisis teams have also helped bring care directly to people when and where they need it most. In the past eight months, they responded to nearly 450 individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis in the community, at home, or in schools. Seventy-six percent of those crises were resolved in the community, potentially preventing more than 320 people from ending up in an emergency department, psychiatric hospital, or jail.
The CCBHC model has strengthened our workforce as well. By moving to a cost-based reimbursement system, we were able to increase salaries and reduce employee turnover from 50% in 2021 to 18% in 2025. For those we serve, that means greater continuity of care and stronger relationships with their providers.
These results matter because the need for behavioral health services continues to grow. An April 2026 survey of Kansas voters found that 92% believe access to quality mental health and addiction care is important, while many remain concerned about the availability of services in their communities.
The survey also found strong support for expanding CCBHCs across political lines, with nearly two-thirds of Trump voters, 80% of swing voters, and 94% of Harris voters supporting increased funding for the model.
At a time when many issues divide us, Kansans agree on this: access to quality behavioral health care matters. The success of CCBHCs shows what is possible when communities invest in proven solutions. Sustaining this model is critical to ensuring that more Kansans can access care, achieve better health outcomes, and build healthier futures for themselves and their families.
