ABSTRACT
The interest in and need for behavioral health treatment outcomes measurement, management, and accountability in this era of managed care provides a unique opportunity for psychologists to use their training and skills in testing. However, the extent to which clinicians and other behavioral health care professionals become key and successful contributors to outcomes initiatives will depend on their understanding of what outcomes and their measurement and applications are all about. It is hoped that the reader has gained at least a basic level of this understanding from the information presented in the preceding chapters of this volume. Following from this, the purpose of the present chapter is twofold. First, it is intended to provide a deeper level of detail and understanding of the contexts, issues, and considerations that must be taken into account in developing a test-based outcomes management program. Second, it is also meant to provide specific steps and recommendations for designing and implementing an outcomes assessment and management program. The information and issues present in this chapter are important not only from the viewpoints of large behavioral health care delivery systems, such as managed behavioral health care organizations (MBHOs), hospitals, clinics, and community mental health centers, they are also relevant to those providing services through solo or group practices.
