ABSTRACT
The stringent standards required by Managed Health Care have changed the way that service is delivered by all human service agencies. The managed care system now requires helping professionals (physicians, psychologists, social workers, etc.) to be accountable for the types of service they provide, the type of clientele that they serve, and the expense, duration, and outcome of the services provided. Part of being an accountable practitioner is working from an empirical basis in relation to interventions, data collection, and treatment process (Wodarski, 1997). This emphasis on accountability comes in response to the decreasing federal and state monetary and philosophical support (Wodarski, 1997). Therefore, professionals are required to work accurately, swiftly, empirically, and in a limited amount of time, while delivering services that are ever more effective and more cost efficient. The standardized requirements of managed care have turned the profession toward creating rapid assessment instruments (RAIs) that are easy to administer, score, and complete without losing validity or reliability.
