What is the CBHCM certification?

The CBHCM (Certified Behavioral Health Case Manager) is a professional certification offered by ACMA (American Case Management Association). It is designed for case managers working in behavioral health settings — including psychiatric hospitals, community mental health centers, and substance use treatment programs — and validates expertise in behavioral health assessment, case management practice, applicable laws, treatment resources, and quality improvement.

How does 42 CFR Part 2 differ from HIPAA?

42 CFR Part 2 governs the confidentiality of substance use disorder (SUD) patient records and is significantly more restrictive than HIPAA. While HIPAA permits many disclosures for treatment, payment, and operations without consent, 42 CFR Part 2 generally requires written patient consent for disclosure of SUD records. Exceptions are narrow: medical emergencies, program audit/evaluation, and court orders. A CBHCM must apply the more restrictive standard when 42 CFR Part 2 applies.

What are the ASAM criteria used for?

The ASAM (American Society of Addiction Medicine) criteria provide a standardized framework for determining the appropriate level of care for patients with substance use disorders. The criteria assess six dimensions: acute intoxication and withdrawal potential, biomedical conditions, emotional/behavioral/cognitive conditions, readiness to change, relapse potential, and recovery environment. A CBHCM uses ASAM criteria to place clients in the least restrictive level of care that safely meets their treatment needs.

What is the Tarasoff duty to warn in behavioral health case management?

The Tarasoff decision established that mental health professionals have a duty to warn identifiable third parties who face a credible threat of harm from a patient. In behavioral health case management, this means that if a client expresses a serious, credible threat against a specific person, the case manager must take action to protect that person — which may include notifying law enforcement and the intended victim. This duty to warn supersedes normal confidentiality obligations under certain conditions.

CBHCM Certified Behavioral Health Case Manager Practice Test PDF (Free Printable 2026)

Download a free CBHCM practice test PDF. Print and study offline for the ACMA Certified Behavioral Health Case Manager certification examination.

CBHCM - Certified Behavioral Health Case ManagerMay 4, 20265 min read

CBHCM Certified Behavioral Health Case Manager Practice Test PDF (Free Printable 2026)

The CBHCM (Certified Behavioral Health Case Manager) is a certification offered by ACMA (American Case Management Association) for case managers working in behavioral health settings such as psychiatric hospitals, community mental health centers, and substance use treatment programs. The exam validates competency across behavioral health assessment, case management process, applicable laws and ethics, treatment resources, and quality outcomes measurement.

This page provides a free printable CBHCM practice test PDF you can download and study offline. The questions reflect the structure and content of the ACMA certification exam, making this PDF a practical tool for candidates preparing for their first attempt or reviewing before a renewal.

📄Download Free CBHCM PDF

CBHCM Exam Fast Facts

What the CBHCM Exam Covers

The CBHCM exam is organized around five domains. Each is tested with scenario-based questions that require you to apply knowledge rather than simply recall facts.

Behavioral Health Assessment

Assessment questions cover the mental status examination — appearance, behavior, speech, mood and affect, thought process and content, perceptual disturbances, cognitive function, and insight and judgment. You need to know DSM-5 diagnostic categories including schizophrenia spectrum disorders, mood disorders (MDD and bipolar), anxiety disorders, PTSD, and substance use disorders with their severity levels. Screening tool knowledge is essential: CAGE-AID, AUDIT, and DAST-10 for substance use; the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) and SAD PERSONS mnemonic for suicide risk; and ASAM criteria for determining the appropriate level of care in SUD treatment across all six dimensions.

Case Management Process

The exam tests the full case management cycle: assessment, problem identification, goal setting, care planning, implementation, monitoring, evaluation, and transition planning. Motivational interviewing is heavily tested — you need to know the five stages of change (Precontemplation, Contemplation, Preparation, Action, Maintenance) and the OARS technique (Open questions, Affirmations, Reflective listening, Summaries). Care coordination questions focus on linking clients to community resources and interagency communication with proper releases of information.

Behavioral Health Laws and Ethics

HIPAA and 42 CFR Part 2 are both tested. Critically, 42 CFR Part 2 governs substance abuse records and is more restrictive than HIPAA — it requires written consent for most disclosures with limited exceptions (medical emergency, audit/evaluation, court order). The Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA) requires that mental health and SUD benefits not be more restrictive than medical/surgical benefits. Exam questions also cover the Baker Act and similar involuntary commitment statutes, the Tarasoff duty-to-warn obligation, and mandated reporter requirements for abuse, neglect, and exploitation.

Treatment Resources and Transitions

You must know levels of care from most to least intensive: inpatient psychiatric, partial hospitalization program (PHP), intensive outpatient program (IOP), and standard outpatient. Additional resources tested include ACT (Assertive Community Treatment), supported housing models such as Housing First, peer support specialists, crisis stabilization units, and community mental health centers. Transition planning questions focus on aftercare planning, medication management, follow-up appointment scheduling, and relapse prevention strategies.

Quality and Outcomes

Quality domain questions cover utilization review criteria for behavioral health (medical necessity criteria and length-of-stay guidelines), outcomes measurement tools (PHQ-9, GAD-7, Columbia Protocol), quality indicators including readmission rates and follow-up appointment compliance, and care management metrics reported to payers and accreditation bodies.

Free CBHCM Practice Tests Online

Prefer browser-based study? Our interactive CBHCM practice test delivers questions with instant scoring and full answer explanations across all five ACMA exam domains. Use the PDF for offline concept review and the online test for timed exam simulation.