ABSTRACT
The practice of behavioral health at the onset of the 21st century is increasingly different from practice during most of the 20th century. This is largely due to the paradigm shift in behavioral health practice that has been underway since the late 1980s. This shift involves every facet of behavioral health practice, including the role of the clinician and the nature of the relationship between clinician and client, as well as clinical practice patterns. This shift has already resulted in the demystification of some basic tenets and “sacred cows” of clinical lore. Central to this paradigm shift is the increasing emphasis on quality and accountability of clinical services provided. Accordingly, quality indicators and cost effectiveness have become primary considerations in behavioral health today Not surprisingly, clinical outcomes data, a key marker of quality and of accountability, has recently become the norm for the provision of behavioral health services.
