Commentary on Koons et al.’s (2013) “Negotiating for Improved Reimbursement for Dialectical Behavior Therapy: A Successful Project”

This paper provides a commentary of Koons, O’Rourke, Carter, and Erhardt (this issue), which takes an inspiring first step in bridging research and clinical practice. We encourage the field to take the following from this paper: (a) evidence-based treatment (EBT) can work in real-world settings; (b) publishable research can be accomplished in a purely clinical environment; (c) some insurance companies are willing to pay more for EBTs; and (d) getting sufficient pay for more time-consuming work has potential to help patients. Koons et al. found the crucial synthesis for all clinicians: In a purely clinical setting, research demonstrated that people got better and the providers were paid more for their work.