Regulating Managed Mental Health Care: A Policy Analysis and Discussion of the Role of Evaluation

This report analyzes recent efforts to regulate managed care practices in the provision of mental health care and discusses the relationship of these efforts to program evaluation. Regulatory measures described address areas such as information disclosure, consumer protection, mandated benefits, quality monitoring, licensing, selective contracting, and data collection. The author presents a framework of analysis that considers the concepts of "policy instruments" and "quality assurance" as they relate to regulation. Specific managed care regulatory efforts in Vermont, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts are also described. Finally, the author examines the role of program evaluation as a crucial regulatory tool.