Direct‐to‐Consumer Marketing: A Complementary Approach to Traditional Dissemination and Implementation Efforts for Mental Health and Substance Abuse Interventions

The overall chasm between those who need treatment for mental health and substance use (M/ SU ) and those who receive effective treatment consists of two interrelated gaps: the research‐to‐practice gap and the treatment gap. Prior efforts to disseminate evidence‐based practice ( EBP ) for M/ SU have predominantly targeted the research‐to‐practice gap, by focusing efforts toward treatment providers. This article introduces direct‐to‐consumer ( DTC ) marketing that targets patients and caregivers as a complementary approach to existing dissemination efforts. Specific issues discussed include the following: rationale for DTC marketing based on the concept of push versus pull marketing; overview of key stakeholders involved in DTC marketing; and description of the Marketing Mix planning framework. The applicability of these issues to the dissemination of EBP for M/ SU is discussed.