| Abstract: | Surveyed 145 US health maintenance organizations (HMOs) to determine outpatient mental health services offered, psychologists and other providers used, and practices followed in offering such services. Results show that basic assessment and intervention modalities were available to almost all HMO members. Health education programs (weight control, smoking control, and stress adaptation) were not as broadly available as were the more traditional mental health efforts. Almost all HMOs utilized psychologists as providers, either as employees or consultants; subdoctoral qualifications for employment were accepted by one-fifth of the plans. In most plans, physicians referred patients for psychological services. HMOs based on individual practice association models offered fewer services than either group or staff models. The level of mental health service required for federal qualification is exceeded by plans enrolling 82% of all members. Data did not support the argument that requiring mental health services results in forcing both services and costs upward. It is concluded that the current rate of HMO growth will not provide large numbers of additional jobs for psychologists. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) |
