ABSTRACT
Termination of psychotherapy services is central to most discussionsverbal or written-of managed behavioral healthcare. Specifi cally, the concerns of providers typically revolve around the restrictions in authorizations for psychotherapy services that managed behavioral healthcare organizations (MBHO) may impose vis-à-vis what the provider considers to be necessary care. Th is may seem oversimplifi ed, but this disagreement-or the potential for disagreement-does appear to be a fundamental objection of providers to managed care. Th is paper will examine the issue of termination in psychotherapy from the perspective of the MBHO and the provider of services with the goal of analyzing the ethical, professional, and business issues involved from both perspectives.
