Abstract
Behavioral health agencies will soon implement automated information-management systems to support their administrative, financial, and clinical care functions.Selecting an EMR instead of an integrated behavioral health information system was associated with a significant reduction in information system acquisition costs.Selection of a behavioral health electronic medical record (EMR) effectively addressed clinical care information-management needs without duplicating existing financial and administrative management functions.Also, the EMR included features that addressed some administrative functions for which a discrepancy between current capabilities and future needs was found.Few agencies, however, utilized automated systems to manage clinical care functions.