Community mental health center (CMHC)

If providing services to people with alcohol and other drug problems, the CMHC must be licensed to provide outpatient treatment and must provide the following outpatient mental health services:

• Diagnostic assessment
• Explanation of findings
• Family psychotherapy
• Group psychotherapy
• Individual psychotherapy, including crisis intervention psychotherapy services
• Multi-family group psychotherapy
• Psychological testing

If requested by the local mental health authority, the CMHC must provide or be capable of providing the following services:

• Day treatment (with Department of Human Services program approval)
• Home-based mental health

A CMHC enrolled with MHCP must provide the covered outpatient services to MHCP members with mental illness, emotional disturbance, chemical dependency, developmental disability, or any combination of these conditions and must:

• Provide or be capable of helping members obtain 24-hour emergency care service.
• Be under contract to the local mental health authority to provide the above services.
• Provide covered services to specialized populations, including elderly, children and families, people with mental illness and serious and persistent mental illness, and children with emotional disturbance and severe emotional disturbance. People who have been hospitalized or experienced residential treatment for mental illness and emotional disturbance, must not be turned away if they request or are referred for services.
• Provide mental health services to any person residing or employed in the service area of the center regardless of ability to pay, race, gender, age, religion, affectional preference, or any other unreasonable basis for discrimination.
• Be willing to contract with the county to provide other mental health services that MHCP does not cover.
• Be a free-standing center with no administrative, organizational, financial, or other connection with a clinic or hospital.

The following providers may apply for CMHC certification if they furnish services by a private nonprofit corporation or a governmental agency that has a community board of directors and meet all of the following criteria:

• Have an active 245I.20 certification with or without variance
• Provide mental health services under the oversight of a mental health professional who is doctoral level psychologist or a board certified or board eligible psychiatrist.
• Be capable of providing the services to recipients who are diagnosed with both
  • mental illness or emotional disturbance
  • substance use disorder
  • dually diagnosed with mental illness or emotional disturbance and developmental disability.

The agency must have the capacity to provide services to specialized populations:

• Elderly
• Families and children
• Persons who are seriously and persistently mentally ill
• Children who are seriously emotionally disturbed

Covered CMHC Services - MHCP Provider Manual

Individuals residing in its service delivery area of the provider who meet the following criteria

• dually diagnosed with mental illness or emotional disturbance
• substance use disorder
• dually diagnosed with a mental illness or emotional disturbance and developmental disability
• Specialized populations:
  • Elderly
  • Families with children
  • Persons who are seriously and persistently mentally ill
  • Children who are seriously emotionally disturbed

Covered CMHC Services - MHCP Provider Manual

This process is established within the Behavioral Health Administration and Minnesota Health Care Programs (MHCP). Certifications involves three steps.

• Step 1 – 245I.20 Certification
  • Complete 245I.20 certification application process. 
• Step 2 – Behavioral Health Division CMHC Certification
  • Submit the following documents to the CMHC mailbox
    
    • The form, Community Mental Health Center Assurance Statement (DHS-5748-ENG), with Agency Name, Location Agency NPI number (as shown on your 245I.20 certification). Please include the information listed on the DHS 5748 EXCEPT the provider enrollment application. Your Provider Manual must contain evidence that the CMHC program adheres to the definition of Community Mental Health Clinic in accordance with Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.0625, subdivision 5
    • DHS Behavioral Health Division will review your information and supporting documentation against the standards of CMHC as described in Minnesota Statutes, section 256B.0625, subdivision 5 
    • Notification of certification status will be sent no more than 60 days after a completed DHS-5748 and manual is received.
    • A certified program will become authorized to enroll with MHCP as a CMHC provider 
• Step 3 - Enroll with MHCP through provider enrollment

Current CMHC Providers as of January 30, 2025

MHCP Codes & Rates

There are no additional reporting requirements for CMHC providers at this time.

CMHC Policy Lead
651-431-2227
CMHC.Certification.DHS@state.mn.us

References:

• Minnesota Statutes 245I.20- Mental Health Center and Mental Health Clinic Standards
• Minnesota Statutes 256B.0625, subd. 5 Community Mental Health Center Services
• Minnesota Statutes 245.62 Community Mental Health Center