“At Magellan, we care deeply about addressing the public health crisis of suicide through awareness, empowerment and action,” said Caroline Carney, M.D., chief medical officer, Magellan Health. “For suicide to be a ‘never event’, the entire care ecosystem must be engaged—the individual who is suffering, providers caring for the individual, the network of family and friends, and the entire community, including those with lived experience. This starts with tackling stigma through health literacy and bringing forward a holistic approach, not a point solution.”
According to the most recent full-year CDC data from 2019, suicide was the tenth leading cause of death overall, claiming over 47,500 U.S. lives; the second leading cause of death for individuals aged 10-34; and the fourth leading cause of death for individuals aged 35-44.1 Impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic have contributed to suicidal ideation in the U.S., which has more than doubled, with younger adults, racial/ethnic minorities, essential workers and unpaid adult caregivers experiencing disproportionately worse effects.1
“Magellan offers behavioral health solutions based on 50+ years of clinical expertise and extensive lived experience which has informed our population health approach and the resulting ecosystem of care we have developed to address suicide awareness, prevention and intervention,” said Alisa Bahl, Ph.D., chief of strategy and innovation, Magellan Health. “We complement our offerings through analytics and digital solutions, allowing us to direct appropriate and individualized interventions to those with the greatest risk, and provide early, individualized prevention for those with rising risk.”
Suicide Prevention and Intervention
Magellan’s suicide solutions include the following:
- A well-established network of clinicians trained in Evidence Based Suicide Prevention treatment. Magellan also announces a new collaboration with Psych Hub, the world’s most comprehensive multimedia platform for mental health education. Through this collaboration, Magellan’s front-line care managers will work towards Psych Hub’s new Suicide Prevention certificate, including safety planning.
- A Clinical Excellence Suicide Prevention Model of Care. Using evidence-based screening, members are identified as either low to high risk and then receive tailored interventions from Magellan care managers.
- Community engagement and health literacy. We combat stigma through community engagement activities, such as Magellan’s Youth Leaders Inspiring Future Empowerment (MY LIFE). MY LIFE helps youth develop positive connections with their peers, raising awareness of mental wellbeing and suicide prevention.
- Lived experience and peer support. Through our community-based work with peer support and recovery support navigation, we connect those with lived experience to those who have attempted suicide.
- Proactive identification and intervention. Through the power of Arine’s predictive modeling tool, Magellan works to proactively identify members’ suicide risk, allowing early outreach for individuals at risk.
- Real time prevention and support. Through the power of NeuroFlow’s digital solutions and services, Magellan is able to offer members access to customizable crisis resources, response services, and behavioral health support based on their needs.
Magellan Suicide Prevention Awareness Month Events
- Thursday, September 9, 2021, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET, Stamp Out Stigma Twitter chat on suicide prevention with Magellan Healthcare co-host Rakel Beall-Wilkins, M.D. Follow @StampStigma and use #SOSChat to join the conversation and participate.
- Tuesday, September 21, 2021, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. ET, Magellan Health webinar, “Taking action to prevent suicide,” with moderator, Caroline Carney, M.D., chief medical officer, Magellan Health; and presenters, Rakel Beall-Wilkins, M.D., and Jamie Hanna, M.D., Magellan Healthcare medical directors. Visit here for more information and free registration.
- Thursday, September 23, 2021, 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. ET, Magellan Healthcare Stay Home for MY LIFE virtual youth fest on suicide prevention. Stay Home for MY LIFE features inspirational speakers and fun activities for youth and young adults who have experience with mental health, substance use, juvenile justice and foster care-related issues, as well as professionals and caregivers across the country. Register for free here, and visit the MY LIFE Facebook page here for more information and updates.
- Tuesday, September 28, 2021, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. ET, Magellan Healthcare eMpowered for Learning webinar, “The intersection between trauma and suicidality: Basics for building trauma-informed peer relationships,” with Cheryl S. Sharp, MSW, ALWF, CEO of Sharp Change Consulting, Inc. Register for free here, and stay tuned for announcements in the Magellan eLearning Center here on continuing credits.
Additional Magellan Suicide Prevention Awareness Resources
- Visit MagellanHealthcare.com/Prevent-Suicide for Magellan events, downloads and other resources.
- Follow Magellan Healthcare on Twitter, LinkedIn, and the MY LIFE Facebook page for information and tools addressing suicide prevention.
- Visit the Magellan Health Insights blog for posts throughout Suicide Prevention Awareness Month in September.
About Magellan Healthcare: Magellan Healthcare, Inc., the healthcare business unit of Magellan Health, Inc., offers solutions for complex conditions in the areas of behavioral health and medical specialty treatment. Magellan Healthcare serves commercial health plans, employers, state and local governments, and the Federal government, including the Department of Defense. For more information, visit MagellanHealthcare.com.
About Magellan Health: Magellan Health, Inc. is a leader in managing the fastest growing, most complex areas of health, including special populations, complete pharmacy benefits and other specialty areas of healthcare. Magellan supports innovative ways of accessing better health through technology, while remaining focused on the critical personal relationships that are necessary to achieve a healthy, vibrant life. Magellan’s customers include health plans and other managed care organizations, employers, labor unions, various military and governmental agencies and third-party administrators. For more information, visit MagellanHealth.com.
