A Psychologist's Proactive Guide to Managed Mental Health Care

US scholars and practitioners argue that rather than merely bemoan the hegemony of managed care, clinical and counseling psychologists should learn how to capitalize on the new opportunities. They cover general issues of managed care, the modification of traditional roles, and the new roles under managed care.

A Psychologist's Proactive Guide to Managed Mental Health Care offers a concise overview of the evolution of managed mental health care and its impact on the working lives of clinical and counseling psychologists. Although many books explore the ramifications of managed care for psychotherapy, this is the first to take a broad perspective and examine the ways in which the new health care delivery system is affecting all aspects of practice--not just treatment but also assessment and training--as well as mental health research. The authors include some of the country's most noted psychologists with extensive experience in managed care. Their tone is optimistic rather than pessimistic; as they look at developments others have only deplored, they see potential roles and opportunities for growth for psychologists. In an era of dramatic health change, all those practitioners who are concerned about how to make managed care work for them rather than against them, will find this Guide essential reading. ALTERNATE BLURB A Psychologist's Proactive Guide to Managed Mental Health Care offers a concise overview of the evolution of managed mental health care and its impact on the working lives of clinical and counseling psychologists. While many books explore the ramifications of managed care for psychotherapy, this is the first to take a broad perspective and examine the ways in which the new health care delivery system is affecting all aspects of practice--not just treatment but also assessment and training--and mental health research as well.

Contents: Preface. Part I: General Issues of Managed Care. A.J. Kent, M. Hersen, An Overview of Managed Mental Health Care: Past, Present, and Future. Part II: Modification of Traditional Roles Under Managed Care. W.I. Dorfman, Psychological Assessment and Testing Under Managed Care. C.S. Austad, Individual Psychotherapy and Managed Care. K.R. MacKenzie, Group Psychotherapies Under Managed Care. Part III: New Roles for Psychologists Under Managed Care. K. Strosahl, The Psychologist in Primary Health Care. H. Levenson, J. Burg, Training Psychologists in the Era of Managed Care. N.A. Cummings, A Psychologist's Proactive Guide to Managed Care: New Roles and Opportunities.