THE DYNAMICS OF MANAGED MENTAL MENTAL-HEALTH-CARE

Presented here is an exploration of the motivations involved in the de velopment and application of managed mental health care to the private practice of outpatient psychotherapy. The interaction of management p olicy and psychotherapy is conceptualized in a dynamic model designed to provide insights into effective care policies. The model is describ ed first, then the development of managed care, which appears defensiv e and is becoming symptomatic to the point of needing significant chan ge. It is suggested that management policies providing choices of ther apists and therapies will be the most effective in addressing ethical fiscal, and psychological concerns of funders, consumers, and provider s.