Measure Improved Wellbeing or Symptom Reduction?

Everyone agrees that mental health outcomes need to be assessed more routinely, yet health care systems continue to struggle to find valid and feasible ways to employ quality measures. Research has shown that regularly checking in with clients’ and adjusting the therapeutic approach to address client preferences can lead to significant improvements in treatment outcomes, including reduced dropout rates, increased satisfaction with care, and reduced symptoms of mental health conditions. MBC can help address disparities in mental health care by improving treatment outcomes for all individuals, regardless of their demographic or social background. By regularly seeking feedback from clients using standardized, self-report measures, mental health providers can also identify and address power imbalances, promoting equitable care by creating a more collaborative relationship. The benefits are well-documented, and more and more funders and licensing bodies are demanding this standard be met. This course was developed to focus on one aspect of measurement-based care that is often difficult for teams to come to consensus on, and that is, "What measures can we use for all clients and programs?". Unlike other resources developed by the APA , CORC, JC etc..., this course will not provide a detailed examination of the myriad of instruments that have been developed and validated, instead we will explore the question of, "What is best to measure; improved wellbeing or symptom reduction?"