title: "Big Eight" Recommendations for Improving the Effectiveness of the U.S. Behavioral Health Care System.
abstract: The purpose of this Open Forum is to highlight strategies that can be implemented by federal health care policy makers to improve the delivery of effective behavioral health care services in the public and private sectors. The recommendations can be accomplished by using existing funds or authorities allocated to federal agencies dealing with the behavioral health system. These recommendations do not require new or additional funding and focus on strategies with a track record for success. The strategies described require relatively small changes but have the potential for big impacts.
authors.affiliation: Dr. Karakus, Dr. Ghose, and Dr. Moran are with Westat, Rockville, Maryland (e-mail: mustafakarakus@westat.com ). Dr. Goldman is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore. Dr. Hogan is with Hogan Health Solutions, Delmar, New York.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karakus
authors.affiliation: Dr. Karakus, Dr. Ghose, and Dr. Moran are with Westat, Rockville, Maryland (e-mail: mustafakarakus@westat.com ). Dr. Goldman is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore. Dr. Hogan is with Hogan Health Solutions, Delmar, New York.
authors.forename: Sushmita Shoma
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Ghose
authors.affiliation: Dr. Karakus, Dr. Ghose, and Dr. Moran are with Westat, Rockville, Maryland (e-mail: mustafakarakus@westat.com ). Dr. Goldman is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore. Dr. Hogan is with Hogan Health Solutions, Delmar, New York.
authors.forename: Howard H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Goldman
authors.affiliation: Dr. Karakus, Dr. Ghose, and Dr. Moran are with Westat, Rockville, Maryland (e-mail: mustafakarakus@westat.com ). Dr. Goldman is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore. Dr. Hogan is with Hogan Health Solutions, Delmar, New York.
authors.forename: Garrett
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moran
authors.affiliation: Dr. Karakus, Dr. Ghose, and Dr. Moran are with Westat, Rockville, Maryland (e-mail: mustafakarakus@westat.com ). Dr. Goldman is with the Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore. Dr. Hogan is with Hogan Health Solutions, Delmar, New York.
authors.forename: Michael F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Hogan
mesh_terms: D017408:Guidelines as Topic / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000592:standards*; D014481:United States
keywords: Financing/funding/reimbursement; Mental health systems/hospitals; Quality of care