The Brunner/Mazel Mental Health Practice Under Managed Care Series addresses the major developments and changes resulting from the introduction of managed care in health care delivery. Volumes in the series enable mental health professionals to provide effective therapy to their patients while conducting and maintaining a successful practice. The series is under general editorial direction of S. Richard Sauber, Ph.D.

The various ramifications of depression have been known for some time; these include job loss, the breakup of marriage, even suicide. The ramifications of managed care on treatment are only now becoming understood. And mental health professionals find themselves caught in between -- having to treat a longstanding illness in a set amount of time.

Treatment of Depression in Managed Care integrates short-term therapy treatment of depression with the guidelines set out by managed care -- laying the foundation for effective therapeutic intervention in their presentation of assessment, diagnosis, treatment options, distinct populations, and special problems. The integrative approach facilitates flexibility, certainly vital to all mental health practitioners.

The combined experience of Drs. Mays and Croake includes legal, academic, and psychological health care delivery across a variety of settings, as well as an extensive managed care background. Given the status of depression as a common and extremely complicated problem, the step-by-step analysis provided by Treatment of Depression in Managed Care is relevant to mental health practitioners at every level, as well as to health plan administrators and policy makers.