Community Mental Health Center
Also written as: CMHC — Community Mental Health Center
A publicly funded outpatient facility providing a defined range of mental health services to residents within a designated geographic catchment area.
Full Definition
A community mental health center (CMHC) originated as a concept under the Community Mental Health Act of 1963 and is required to offer specific essential services—including outpatient therapy, crisis services, and consultation—to all residents of its catchment area regardless of ability to pay. CMHCs are typically funded through a combination of Medicaid, state mental health authority allocations, and local government revenues. Editors should note that 'CMHC' has been largely superseded in contemporary policy documents by 'CCBHC' (Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic) for centres meeting enhanced federal standards, but the older acronym persists in historical and some state regulatory documents. The British spelling 'centre' should be standardised to 'center' in U.S. documents; the reverse applies for UK-context documents.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish from CCBHC in post-2016 policy documents. In U.S. documents, use 'center' not 'centre'. Confirm acronym precedence when both CMHC and CCBHC appear in the same document.
In Context
- "The state required each community mental health center to submit an annual unduplicated client count by diagnostic category." — State reporting requirement
- "She was referred to the community mental health center for medication management and individual therapy." — Primary care referral letter