The California Survey of Psychological Practice provides comprehensive data on patient case mix, treatments, practice settings, and payment sources using a representative sample of psychologists. These psychologists practice in diverse settings and continue to deliver traditional psychotherapies. California psychologists' treatment of persons with private insurance highlights the profession's public health contribution by improving the functioning of employed persons and their families. Despite high managed care enrollment among Californians, these psychologists demonstrate wide variability in managed care participation. The authors compare the findings to prior surveys among psychologists and discuss the findings in relation to trends in psychological practice and public policy.

Data from the 2000 Calffornia Survey of Psychological Practice (D. Pingitore, R. Scheffler, M. Haley, T. Sentell, & D. Schwalm, 2001) were used to measure psychologists' income variation associated with demographic characteristics, managed care participation rate, and mental health workforce supply concentrations. A 10% increase in the supply of psychologists in a psychologists' market of practice resulted in a $1,749 reduction in income compared with a $1,330 income reduction due to a 10% increase in managed care participation. The authors discuss how psychologists' income and other aspects of practice are shaped by market dynamics, trends in the psychologist workforce, and public policy.

Income, an important facet of professional psychological practice, differs by gender. The potential sources of income differences among California clinical psychologists were investigated. Full-time female psychologists earned significantly less income on average than full-time male psychologists, despite similar patient demographics, caseloads, practice profiles, and payment sources. In separate regression models, professional experience increased income more for men than for women, whereas greater psychologist supply decreased income for both groups. According to the regression model, if female psychologists were paid like male psychologists, they would receive, on average

The 1996 Mental Health Parity Act (MHPA), which became effective in January 1998, is scheduled to expire in September 2001. This paper examines what the MHPA accomplished and steps toward more comprehensive parity. We explain the strategic and self-reinforcing link of parity with managed behavioral health care and conclude that the current path will be difficult to reverse. The paper ends with a discussion of what might be behind the claims that full parity in mental health benefits is insufficient to achieve true equity and whether additional steps beyond full parity appear realistic or even desirable.

Periods of rapid U.S. economic growth during the 1960s and 1970s coincided with improved living standards for many segments of the population, including the disadvantaged as well as the affluent, suggesting to some that a rising economic tide lifts all demographic boats. This paper investigates the impact of U.S. business cycle conditions on population well-being since the 1970s. Aggregate employment and hours worked in this period are strongly procyclical, particularly for low-skilled workers, while aggregate real wages are only mildly procyclical. Similar patterns appear in a balanced panel of PSID respondents that removes the effects of changing workforce composition, though the magnitude of the responsiveness of real wages to unemployment appears to have declined in the last 20 years. Economic upturns increase the likelihood that workers acquire jobs in sectors with positively sloped career ladders. Spending by state and local governments in all categories rises during economic expansions, including welfare spending, for which needs vary countercyclically. Since the disadvantaged are likely to benefit disproportionately from such government spending, it follows that the public finances also contribute to conveying the benefits of a strong economy to diverse population groups.