Refocused Psychotherapy as the First Line Intervention in Behavioral Health

Written by father-daughter psychologists Nick and Janet Cummings, this text calls for a new emphasis on behavioral healthcare grounded in psychopathology and dispensed as an integral part of mainstream healthcare. The National Health Reform Act of 2010 has placed the primary care physician (PCP) in charge of the delivery of mental health, emphasizing the need for the behavioral care provider (BCP) to work side-by-side with the physician. According to the authors, the BCP would not only function as a primary care psychotherapist, but would also educate the physician on the need, timeliness, and appropriateness of various behavioral interventions. To facilitate this, the authors explore the Biodyne Model, an evidence-based system with roots in Kaiser Permanente. It has been field-tested for over four decades and is the only behavioral healthcare system subjected to extensive ongoing evidence testing. Through this exploration, the authors will demonstrate how the Biodyne Model advocates efficacy, effectiveness, and efficiency-the standards psychotherapeutic intervention will have to hold up in this new healthcare model.