BEHAVIORAL HEALTH TREATMENT - REDESIGN IN MANAGED CARE SETTINGS

This article addresses the general trends and research directions taki ng place in managed care behavioral health care settings. Such challen ges as the demands for accountability and cost-effectiveness have led to the pressing need for (a) sound outcomes measurement systems, (b) s tandardization of empirically supported treatment protocols, and (c) m ore concerted efforts to bridge the gap in psychology between efficacy research occurring in controlled, often academic settings, and effect iveness research whereby tested protocols are implemented and evaluate d within actual practice settings. The treatment literature of three d iagnostic groups-anxiety, mood disorders, and eating disorders-is disc ussed regarding present empirical support and research directions.