Universal Healthcare : Readings for Mental Health Professionals

The United States is currently facing a healthcare crisis. Fourteen percent of its total gross domestic product is spent on healthcare, and, alarmingly, costs continue to grow rates far outpacing inflation. Yet millions of American's face financial devastation because they lack basic healthcare coverage. President Bush's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health has identified several inadequacies in the current system of behavioral health services delivery that are contributing to increased spending. In an attempt to remedy these inadequacies, the President's Commission set forth six goals that call for a complete redesign of our behavioral health delivery system. This volume presents the work of a distinguished group of national experts who address the issues outlined by the President's Commission. Important systems and policy issues such as integrated care and universal healthcare are discussed here within the context of reshaping the American healthcare system to meet its citizens' healthcare needs.