Clinical Management for Behavioral Health Services

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CMBHS Help Line
866-806-7806
Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time

The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) developed the Clinical Management for Behavioral Health Services system (CMBHS), and it began operating in December 2009. The system is used across the state with DSHS and Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) contracted substance use and mental health treatment service providers and others who qualify.

Some providers use CMBHS as their electronic health record and claims payment system, while others mainly use it to submit data to the state to fulfill contract requirements. The system includes clinical tools that standardize the assessment, diagnosis, and level-of-care determination and treatment processes. Providers also use it to document the services provided and send claims directly to the HHS program that processes and pays that claim type.

CMBHS supports data exchange between:

  • HHSC and local mental health authorities.
  • Contracted substance abuse and mental health service providers (with client consent as required by law).
  • HHSC and other state agencies to coordinate care and help with oversight of services and claim payments.

Service providers with Texas HHSC contracts for delivering mental health services or substance use disorder services are the primary users of CMBHS. The requirements for using CMBHS are defined in their contracts. If you have questions about whether your contract requires the use of this system, contact your HHSC contract manager.

Some providers and state agencies don't directly contract with HHSC for service delivery but might qualify for CMBHS and must sign a user agreement. These providers might be Medicaid managed care providers of mental health targeted case management or mental health rehabilitative services that need access to complete assessments. This data must be submitted to HHSC or other state agencies serving the same populations that might need this information to ensure coordination of care.

System Requirements

  • CMBHS is only compatible with Microsoft Edge (90.x) or higher and Google Chrome version 40 or higher.
  • JavaScript must be enabled to use the application.
  • Adobe Reader is needed to print documents.

How to Request Access

  1. After downloading Form 5007, CMBHS Access Request and User Agreement, complete the form fields, print, review, sign, and submit the document.
  2. To submit, please scan the document to create an electronic version displaying your signature. Email the electronic version to MHContracts@hhsc.state.tx.us.

Forms to request access to CMBHS for Medicaid mental health targeted case management and rehabilitative service providers are located within the link shown above.

Submit these forms to HHSC when you have completed steps 1 and 2 below:

(Please be sure to click the URL below and view the Prior Authorization video before following steps 1 and 2.) https://www.gotostage.com/channel/3564a5f19b144530ad0360781b05bda3/recording/f08e07b05067435e933b33e34e884ff7/watch?source=CHANNEL      

  1. Successfully enroll with the Texas Medicaid & Healthcare Partnership as a Medicaid mental health targeted case management and rehabilitative services provider and receive documentation from TMHP.
  2. Have an executed contract with a Medicaid managed care organization to deliver mental health targeted case management and rehabilitative services and receive documentation from the MCO.

After completing these steps, submit the completed forms via email to the HHSC Mental Health Contracts Unit to request CMBHS access at MHContracts@hhsc.state.tx.us.

After the CMBHS Training and Technical Assistance Team receives the MCO's contact information, they verify the information. The MCO's representative receives a letter to verify the contract between the MCO and provider.

The CMBHS Team verifies existence of a contract between the MCO and provider, indicating that the provider can provide Targeted Case Management and Mental Health Rehabilitation Services to clients able to receive Medicaid.

The review process usually takes three to four weeks. The CMBHS Training and Technical Assistance Team will contact the provider after the documentation has been reviewed.

Monthly CMBHS User Teleconferences

Join us for a monthly call to discuss and share information between HHS, internal and external CMBHS users, and other interested stakeholders. CMBHS staff provides updates on improvements and upcoming changes to the application. The line is then opened for discussion and questions.

The calls rotate between discussing topics relevant to substance-use service users and mental health service users of CMBHS. Calls will also address both when time allows.

Webinar Information

  • Webinars are scheduled for the second Tuesday of every month from 10–11 a.m. Central Time.
  • Email questions about the webinar to cmbhstrainingteam@hhs.texas.gov

Tips for Webinar Participants

  • You don't need to introduce yourself or your organization after joining the webinar because of the number of participants and time limits. But you should introduce yourself if you are commenting or asking a question.
  • CMBHS staff are introduced at the start of the webinar.
  • For questions ahead of the webinar or follow-up questions after the webinar, email cmbhstrainingteam@hhs.texas.gov
  • For technical support issues, contact the CMBHS Help Line at 866-806-7806.

Changes to CMBHS

To see information about changes to the CMBHS application, you must be a current user.

  • Log into CMBHS, choose "Help" from the menu at the top and choose "Release Information" from the menu on the left.
  • The first document provides information about the most recent release of changes.
  • To learn more about the changes, call the CMBHS Help Line at 866-806-7806.

Note: This announcement service only gives notice of updates to content of CMBHS-related webpages and not updates to the CMBHS system itself.

Contact CMBHS

For Current Users of CMBHS

For questions about how to use CMBHS or to report issues, call the CMBHS Help Line at 866-806-7806.
The CMBHS Help Line is staffed from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Central Time, Monday through Friday. It's closed on holidays.

For Data Exchange Users

If you are a current Data Exchange partner or need to know how to become a partner, email the CMBHS Data Exchange team at CMBHS.DataExchange@hhsc.state.tx.us or call their Help Line at 512-206-5825.

For Questions About CMBHS

To contact the CMBHS team with general, non-urgent questions and requests for improvements, email IDD-BHSDecisionSupport@hhs.texas.gov . We will respond to emails in the order they are received and as time allows.