This Rand Corporation report analyzes a Department of Defense pilot project that lifted two key TRICARE requirements on mental health counselors.  It evaluates the pilot’s affect on the utilization, expenditures, and outcomes of mental health treatment for military personnel and their families.

From the report:

This study stemmed from a perception among licensed mental health counselors that their administrative requirements are a barrier to mental health care for TRICARE patients. Temporarily lifting these requirements did not increase the perceived access beneficiaries had to mental health care, but did affect the types of providers and care they sought. It could not be determined, however, whether this affected clinical outcomes or quality of care. Future efforts to offer military personnel and their families greater access to mental health care should examine not only whether unmet demand can be met, but also how expanding access affects quality of care.

Full report: Expanding Access to Mental Health Counselors Under TRICARE (PDF | 103.56 KB)

The Rand Corporation. (2009). Expanding access to mental health counselors under TRICARE. Meredith, L.S., Tanielian, T., Greenberg, M.D., Suarez, A., & Eiseman, E.