November is National Diabetes Awareness Month. Perhaps you, a family member, or a friend has diabetes. By reading this article, you can share this information and/or use it yourself to help manage diabetes. The first step to effective management is a good understanding of the diabetes disease process. From there, you can build upon that foundation to know signs or symptoms, how to monitor, knowing when to call your provider before symptoms worsen, importance of provider follow up, and most importantly adhering to the non-pharmacological (diet and exercise) and pharmacological prescribed regimens. This article will focus on four key questions surrounding diabetes and diabetes management.

1) How does diabetes affect Americans?
In 2019, 37.3 million Americans, or 11.3% of the population, had diabetes. Nearly 1.9 million Americans have type 1 diabetes, including about 244,000 children and adolescents.1 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes every year, making the U.S. #3 in countries with the highest rate of Diabetes.2

2) What are the different types of diabetes?

Type 1 Diabetes:
Type 1 diabetes is a disease that starts when the pancreas stops making enough of a hormone called insulin. Insulin helps the body use sugar from food as energy or store it for later use. If there isn’t any insulin, too much sugar stays in the blood. Over time, high blood sugar can harm many parts of the body. These include the eyes, heart, blood vessels, nerves, and kidneys.
Type 1 diabetes can occur at any age, but it usually starts in children or young adults. It’s a lifelong disease. But with treatment and a healthy lifestyle, people can live a long and healthy life.3

Gestational Diabetes:
Gestational diabetes is high blood sugar that first occurs during pregnancy. High blood sugar can cause problems for you and your baby. But with treatment, most women can control their blood sugar and have healthy babies. Blood sugar levels usually go back to normal after the baby is born.4

Prediabetes:
Prediabetes is a warning sign that you are at risk for getting type 2 diabetes. It means that your blood sugar is higher than it should be, but not high enough to be diabetes. Prediabetes is also called impaired glucose tolerance or impaired fasting glucose. Most people who get type 2 diabetes have prediabetes first.5

Type 2 Diabetes:
Type 2 diabetes is a condition in which you have too much sugar (glucose) in your blood. Glucose is a type of sugar produced in your body when carbohydrates and other foods are digested. It provides energy to cells throughout the body. Normally, blood sugar levels increase after you eat a meal. When blood sugar rises, cells in the pancreas release insulin, which causes the body to absorb sugar from the blood and lowers the blood sugar level to normal.When you have type 2 diabetes, sugar stays in the blood rather than entering the body’s cells to be used for energy. This results in high blood sugar. It happens when your body can’t use insulin the right way. Over time, high blood sugar can harm many parts of the body, such as your eyes, heart, blood vessels, nerves, and kidneys. It can also increase your risk for other health problems (complications).6

3) What are some potential complications associated with diabetes?
There is no cure for diabetes. Management of diabetes is important to prevent and/or delay long term complications (risk for getting other health problems). This is especially true if your blood sugar levels stay high. Over time, high blood sugar can damage many parts of your body. It can lead to a variety of problems, including problems with your:

Eyes: High blood sugar levels may cause temporary blurred vision. Blurry vision, floaters, or flashes of light may be a sign of diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to severe vision loss. Having diabetes also puts you at risk for cataracts and glaucoma.
Heart and blood vessels: High blood sugar damages the lining of blood vessels. This is called hardening of the arteries, or atherosclerosis. It can lead to stroke, heart attack, peripheral arterial disease, or heart failure. Erection problems can be an early warning sign of blood vessel disease and may mean a higher risk of heart disease.

Nerves: High blood sugar levels can damage nerves throughout your body. This damage is called diabetic neuropathy. There are different types of neuropathy. They may be caused by damage to nerves that sense things like pain or touch or that control things like your heartbeat, digestion, or blood pressure. Nerve damage can be painful, especially in the feet.
Feet and skin: You may have less feeling in your feet. This means that you can injure your feet and not know it. Common infections from blisters, ingrown toenails, small cuts, or other problems can quickly become more serious when you have diabetes.

Kidneys: High blood sugar can damage tiny blood vessels in your kidneys that help filter waste from your blood. This kidney damage is called diabetic kidney disease (sometimes called diabetic nephropathy). You may not have any symptoms until the damage is severe. Then you may notice swelling in your feet or legs or all over your body.

Infections related to diabetes: High blood sugar from diabetes can affect the body’s immune system. The immune system is the body’s natural defense system that helps fight infections.
People with high blood sugar from diabetes can be more severely affected by common infections, such as influenza and pneumonia. They also are more likely to be infected with unusual organisms, such as Gram-negative bacteria or fungi.7

4) What can you or someone you know do to help prevent and/or manage diabetes?

Prevention – You can help prevent or delay complications by keeping your blood sugar in a target range. You also need regular medical checkups to look for early signs of complications. If complications are treated early, the damage may be stopped, slowed, or reversed. 7

Management of diabetes –
• Follow up with your physician. Your physician will monitor lab values (hemoglobin A1C) (defined below), kidney function tests, and others as needed/warranted] on a routine basis. Eye and foot exams are also recommended to be performed every year.
• Stay up to date with recommended vaccinations.
• Keep up on latest education, treatments for diabetes. Diabetic educators are available to assist and educate with diabetes. The ADA (American Diabetic Association) is a great resource.
• Monitor your blood sugar based on your physician’s treatment plan.
• Understand the signs and/or symptoms of low and/or high blood sugar.
• Diet, nutrition, exercise – follow your physician’s suggestions. Coaches, Dieticians, Care managers, and/or Diabetic educators are available to assist, check with your health plan for benefit coverage.
• Take your medications/insulin as prescribed by your physician.
• Utilize your smart phone application(s) that help with managing Diabetes.
• Joining a support Group (online and/or in person sessions) may be beneficial in connecting with others that are affected by Diabetes.

• List of Sources:
  1) American Diabetes Association. Website url: https://diabetes.org/about-us/statistics/about-diabetes. Accessed 10/19/22
  2) Medical News Today. Website url: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/diabetes-rates-by-country#type-2. Accessed 10/23/22
  3) Healthwise: Website url link: Type 1 Diabetes (healthwise.net). Accessed 10/19/22
  4) Healthwise: Website url link: Gestational Diabetes (healthwise.net). Accessed 10/19/22
  5) Healthwise: Website url link: Prediabetes (healthwise.net). Accessed 10/19/22
  6) Healthwise: Website url link: Type 2 Diabetes (healthwise.net). Accessed 10/19/22
  7) Healthwise: Website url link: Diabetes Complications (healthwise.net). Accessed 10/19/22
  List of additional Resources:
  1) https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/diabetes/diabetes-tools–resources
  2) https://professional.diabetes.org/search/site?f%5B0%5D=im_field_dbp_ct%3A32&retain-filters=1

Nikki Walker is the director of Federal Program Management with a focus on business innovation for the Magellan Federal Military and Family Life Counseling (MFLC) program. Walker, who has been with Magellan since 2012, oversees innovation projects and pilot initiatives that are either directed by our government customer or in collaboration with Magellan Health. Currently, Walker is working on the NeuroFlow pilot and the Arammu Relationship Checkup, a web-based counseling tool that allows military couples to check the status of their relationship health. They also learn how to manage strengths and challenges in their relationship with help from MFLC counselors. Continue reading to learn more about other innovative projects and pilot initiatives Walker is working on at Magellan Federal.

What sort of innovation projects are you currently working on at Magellan Federal?

I’m currently working on two exciting pilots that are moving the MFLC program forward into a digital dimension. The NeuroFlow wellbeing application is part of Magellan Healthcare’s eMbrace employee assistance program. Magellan Federal has also collaborated with NeuroFlow on a pilot program tailored specifically for the military population that incorporates additional safety features. Our relationship with the NeuroFlow team has allowed for a successful rollout at three military installations.  This is truly innovative work within the Magellan Federal business, and we’re excited to be able to offer this type of resource to our military members.

Another pilot we’re working on is the Arammu Relationship Checkup. It’s a digital-based questionnaire that allows military couples to rate their relationship health. Couples can go online and confidentially complete the questionnaire. The results of the questionnaire are immediately presented to the couples and provides concrete techniques to help them enhance their relationship wellbeing. The Relationship Checkup has had a positive impact on how we conduct non-medical counseling. Our MFLC counselors can use the Relationship Checkup in their non-medical counseling sessions to talk with couples about their strengths and any challenges they may work on to build their relationship. The pilot has been successful, and military couples have been very receptive of the checkup.

Why is Magellan Federal the best place to do these projects?

I believe Magellan Federal emphasizes collaboration as well as delivery. We deliver what’s expected of us when innovative programs are requested. Also, when we are working on business development, we are very good at identifying its key partners and stakeholders who are critical to successfully execute and deliver the product or the service that is expected. This collaboration is at all levels and within different arenas: government, military, community, greater Magellan Health, and internal Magellan Federal teams. We’re good at collaboration and building relationships, which help us deliver value to the customer.

What are your thoughts on the culture at Magellan Federal?

The Magellan Federal culture thrives on precision and accuracy. Getting things done right is very important. That supports what I’ve said about delivery. Our culture is about getting it right, which speaks to our professionalism, attention to detail, and the quality of the work we deliver. It’s that high level of professionalism that’s really rooted in delivering consistently. This is engrained in our culture. It speaks to the high level of quality work that our partners, the government, and the military want to see and why they continue to come back to us.

What exciting trends in the healthcare industry, related to military healthcare, have you noticed? In what direction do you see healthcare going? What lessons are there to learn in other industries that can be applied to healthcare?

One of the biggest trends is self-directed wellbeing or self-directed care. Many of our military members and families want something at their fingertips that allows them to easily access and navigate their healthcare. It’s mobile first. Cell phones and the web are readily available to service members, so being able to deliver wellbeing and healthcare services by phone or web gives them the opportunity to get the care they need, when and where they need it. This is especially important with our younger service members and spouses.

Lessons from other industries we can learn from include how to diligently explore the best way to operationalize research-based work. Pilot programs are often based on clinical and research studies, which is good because you do want evidence-based work. But we must also have due diligence in properly translating evidence-based work into daily operations. That takes time and skill. We must be able to think through how to manage and mobilize the workforce to be able to deliver the product and the service. Being able to successfully transition from a clinical study to operations is a big task. Having a plan of action on how to mobilize your team and how to operationalize that clinical study is especially important.

Learn more about the various solutions provided by Magellan Federal here.

Influenza (flu) season can be unpredictable. In the United States (US), flu activity typically begins in October and peaks between December and February, but activity can even continue into May. Australia recently finished their winter where they experienced the most severe flu season in five years, and the season started earlier than usual. Although flu forecasting is not perfect, the Southern Hemisphere serves as a barometer for what might happen in the Northern Hemisphere. In the US, flu activity is elevated across the country.

COVID-19, which is still circulating, is generally mild for children. During the pandemic flu was virtually non-existent. This can be partly attributed to mitigation measures such as handwashing, masking, distancing, as well as remote school, work, and limited travel. The flu hiatus also translates into less pre-existing immunity to influenza due to lack of exposure – from natural infection or vaccines – particularly notable in younger children who may have never been exposed to flu. Further, there is currently a surge in pediatric respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases and hospitalizations. Children and the elderly are among the populations at higher risk of influenza complications. With pre-pandemic activities resuming and school back in-person, flu is making a comeback this season.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s FluView (a weekly US influenza surveillance report), influenza-like illness (ILI) activity is elevated across the country. The CDC’s interactive map offers a visual picture of outpatient ILI activity in the US and links out to state-level information. Additional data such as hospitalization and mortality surveillance are also captured on the CDC’s site.

The best protection against the flu is prevention. The CDC recommends an annual flu vaccine for everyone ages ≥6 months old with rare exceptions. The ideal time for the flu shot is in September or October, and it can be offered throughout the season, as long as flu viruses are circulating. It takes about two weeks after vaccination to develop protection against the flu. New this year, all available flu vaccines in the US are quadrivalent, meaning they contain two influenza A and two influenza B virus antigens, thus designed to protect against four flu viruses. The dominant strain is currently influenza A (H3N2), which is especially tough on the elderly. Also new this year, is a preferential recommendation from the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for high-dose, adjuvanted, or recombinant vaccine over other flu vaccines for adults ≥65 years old.

To find a flu vaccine provider, visit vaccines.gov. The flu and COVID-19 vaccines can be given at the same time. Prescription flu antiviral medications to treat flu are currently available. Remember, good hygiene and self care are critical in fighting the flu and a number of other viruses, so wash hands, cover your cough, rest, and stay home when sick.
As the flu continues to unfold this winter, prevention, awareness, and health literacy are key to being prepared.

Disclaimer: The content in this blog is not a substitute for professional medical advice. For questions regarding any medical condition or if you need medical advice, please contact your healthcare provider.

Introduction

Given these extraordinary times, “resilience” has become a very popular word used to refer to a capacity that can be developed in people to withstand disruption or recover from adversity more quickly and completely. It is important to ensure teams remain ready and able to adapt to increasing demands. Historically, more pressure is put on leaders, especially those who need their teams to continue to perform at a high level when it matters most.

In our experience, organizations and their leaders truly care about their employees and understand that while some individual skills can be self-developed, leaders themselves need tangible strategies to create conditions for resilience development and thriving. If a leader has the tools first, then it is easier to set a good example and have a foundation for transferring these skills to their teams.

Magellan Federal delivers cognitive training and coaching services to over 700,000 Department of the Army personnel and civilians each year. We have gained valuable expertise and insights on implementation strategies that can enhance resilience development. In this white paper, we will detail our unique approach based on experience implementing systems that embolden leadership to invest in their most important asset—their people.

The Problem

Quite often, people are promoted into leadership positions because they excel at their job, which intuitively makes sense since they are likely to be top performers at what they do. What we find overlooked is whether people are ready to lead and influence other people. When they get into a leadership role something shifts and they can’t quite do what you thought and hoped they could.

Additionally, leaders face higher demands than the general worker population because they are responsible for their own performance plus those they lead. It is not uncommon to observe these individuals with higher levels of cortisol, an indication that their bodies are not adapting well to these demands. The ability to respond favorably following increases in demands is an essential quality for sustained readiness in a leadership position. Resilience is a term often used to label this quality, but resilience is a complex concept that is often misunderstood, and therefore treated reactively, not proactively within organizations.

Resilience is personal

Resilience can be defined as resources and processes that combine to restore equilibrium, counter challenges, or transform an individual or group. Resilience is a dynamic construct made up of personal and environmental factors such as hardiness, grit, self-efficacy, social support and other lived experiences and learning that combine uniquely for an individual response. Essentially, we all respond very differently to demands and challenges based on a multitude of individual and social resources. Given that these unique resources and processes are able to be influenced, resilience can change and develop over time.

Since leaders generally experience higher demands and resilience is malleable, Magellan Federal believes it is essential to equip leaders with methods to enhance positive adaptation following adversity, laying a solid foundation for increased resilience across the entire workforce.

Our Solution — Human-Centered Leader Training

Resilience is teachable

Research is clear that leaders play a significant role in the performance, resilience, and wellbeing of their people. Therefore, targeted training and coaching for leaders can be a force multiplier for a resilient workforce.

Our depth of knowledge in the science of cognitive performance is broad and deep, particularly in the psychophysiological mechanisms of learning, thriving, and resilience. We have learned it is valuable to first train leaders, so they are equipped to be resilient themselves and better positioned to support their teams. Leaders then need to be supported and coached how to transfer resilience principles to their peers and subordinates.

Our successful coach-the-coach approach has three tenets: Leading Self, Leading Others, and Leading Teams.

• Leading Self: Helps ensure a wider swath of potential future leaders has the self-management skills which are foundational for Leading Others, particularly through volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity. Principles include:
  • Personal philosophy, values, and core beliefs (self-awareness)
  • Fueling behaviors and restoration (diet, hydration, movement, sleep)
  • Presence (mindfulness, authenticity, confidence)
  • Psychophysiological regulation (readiness for the task and situation)
  • Mental rehearsal (intentionality, deliberate practice, imagery)
  • Self-motivation
• Leading Others: Provides new and seasoned leaders the opportunity to develop a deeper understanding of the human side of leadership and how to have the most beneficial impact on the lives of those they lead. Principles include:
  • Build trust (consistent discipline and follow-through through the ability to lead self)
  • Develop psychological safety (transparency and vulnerability, applying presence in communicating with others)
  • Promote growth (feedback, mentoring, peer support)
  • Foster motivation (autonomy, supportive leadership, behavior)
• Leading Teams: Provides senior leaders a necessary opportunity to reflect and recalibrate their internal compass, adjust their approach to leading others at a larger scale, and align both with the goals of the organization so they can move forward with increased intentionality and commitment. Principles include:
  • Executive messaging, modeling, implementing and promoting performance psychology principles across the enterprise
  • Building trust in relationships (consistency in Leading Others across the organization)
  • Mental agility, situational awareness, pattern recognition (consistent yet adaptive)
  • Authenticity & Alignment
  • Cultural awareness and sensitivity

Guidance for Organizations

Focus on manager training and support

Meaningful growth requires the transfer of knowledge, demonstration, practice, feedback, adjustment, and repetition. Expertise is accelerated with the support of a coach who can provide both the right level of challenge or adversity and effective feedback to unlock solutions to overcome these challenges and facilitate growth. We have found our greatest success when we take a human-centered approach, arming leaders not only with foundational knowledge communicated with stories and science, but coaching through authentic interactions.

Organizations should support their leaders by:

• Training leaders on general learning principles and how to effectively teach psychological and interpersonal skills to their teams.
• Providing leaders ongoing coaching support in the following areas for improved thriving and resilience:
  • Establishing a secure base
  • Facilitating connection
  • Building and sharing meaning
  • Enabling growth
  • Reinforcing work-life flow
• Using a holistic approach that values principles of physical fitness, mental fitness, social fitness, and spiritual fitness, as well as targeting opportunities for change by leading self, leading others, and leading teams.

Providing growth opportunities in these areas will fill an often much-needed gap—the human dimension of leadership.

Guidance for Leaders

Based on our experience, we recommend starting with these individual steps to build a more resilient workforce:

• Develop deep personal awareness (e.g., purpose, vision, mission, motives, beliefs)
• Develop personal and team mindfulness practices
• Build systems and practices that help you be intentional with time, both yours and your team members
• Establish regular, if not daily, check-ins with team members
• Develop an understanding of what drives your team members
• Celebrate, cultivate, and grow team members strengths
• Express gratitude authentically and liberally
• Learn and respect team members’ boundaries
• Recognize and address the role of emotion and empathy in the workplace
• When facing change or adversity, reinforce a sense of community and shared meaning

Innovating for the Future: Digital Coaching & Mentoring

Many thought leaders in human performance and resilience lead with high-tech solutions and simulation exercises to accelerate learning and optimize performance. While there is utility in technological advancements, we firmly believe in the power of trusted relationships and high-touch engagement.

Magellan Federal recently piloted a digital training and coaching intervention with midlevel managers in the corporate space. The overwhelming majority noted a desire for ongoing human engagement both with an outside expert coach and with a community group. Unsurprisingly, these leaders felt a strong sense of investment in themselves as people but understood how the content, strategies, techniques, and skills would apply in both their work and personal lives.

We are engaged in product development of digital coaching and mentoring technology that will allow for follow-on support with tactical personnel as they rotate duty stations, deploy, or otherwise distribute geographically. We understand that trust is the bedrock of personal and professional development, and that trust is a uniquely human, high-touch phenomenon. Our vision for the near future is service provision that begins human-centered, customized to the client, augmented with technology that allows our coaches and mentors to remain connected and engaged beyond the training environment, affording individual leaders more timely, relevant coaching feedback.

If you are interested in learning more about Magellan Federal’s Resilience training program, please contact our director of human performance, Dr. Jon Metzler, at metzlerjn@magellanfederal.com.

For a downloadable version of this whitepaper, visit MFed Inform.

The role of being a leader is one that is of foremost importance to Paul Messier. As Senior Director of Federal Program Management, Messier, who has been with Magellan Federal since April 2014, works on programs that provide HR services to military members and their families. He is one of three Senior Directors assigned to the Human Readiness Division (HRD), where he leads six contracts that include 310 people located at 75 Army and Navy military bases around the world.

Messier shows pride in his leadership role by pointing out that everything in the Federal service delivery contracts is designed to ensure the human readiness of Service members and their families. He also points out that the same elements of human readiness that apply in delivering operational excellence to customers are relevant when engaging with Magellan’s own employees in a culture of servant leadership. “Just as military members and their families are serving our Nation; our federal employees and their families are also serving our Nation in their respective military communities. If we expect our employees to address the human readiness needs of their customers, then we as leaders have an obligation to attend to the basic human readiness needs of our work force. From that perspective, human readiness has a double meaning to me – one is operational and the other is organizational.”  Continue reading to learn more about Messier’s work with the Human Readiness Division and what being a leader means to him.

What cool, innovative projects are you currently working on?

Right now, I’m focused on developing a new leadership model for our division. This is a reality-based, relationship-driven leadership approach that emphasizes bringing our most authentic selves to the workplace and creating more welcoming environments for our employees that foster trust and transparency. It’s an intentional effort to promote the health, well-being, and overall human readiness of our employees by integrating leadership principles and practices across four key domains:

• Practicing authentic servant leadership that emphasizes emotional and cultural awareness.
• Promoting a healthy work environment that fosters unity and cohesion for world-class service delivery.
• Providing continuous professional development through mentoring and coaching of the workforce.
• Encouraging shared governance that empowers employees to inquire, innovate and make decisions to the maximum extent within their professional scope of practice, and recognize them for their achievements.

I think there is a need for a model that offers a framework and training tool for sharing these leadership principles with our mid-level and junior leaders.

Why is Magellan Federal the best place to do these kinds of innovative projects?

I believe that when we consider our overall strategy of bringing products and services to the marketplace, we should always focus on being compelling, contemporary, and competitive. So, when I think about our collective role as leaders, I think about how we can apply these same principles to leadership. In these uncertain times, employees are asking for more from their leaders and seeking a healthier work-life balance. If we want to reach the hearts and minds of our employees and retain our human capital, we’ve got to find the courage to show them our own hearts and minds…show them who we are and how much we care for them.  If we can do that, then our message will indeed be compelling, contemporary, and competitive.

What are your thoughts on Magellan’s culture? How has the culture impacted your projects?

Magellan Health and Magellan Federal leaders have enhanced our culture by opening an atmosphere of transparency. That culture will be propagated if leaders replicate positive messaging by flowing it down the chain and engaging with our employees. Leaders cope with change, and more change always demands more leadership. We have the right leaders in place and the messaging channels and mediums are fully evolved and robust.  The stars are aligned for a new leadership model that we can share with our junior leaders and employees. Our corporate vision emphasizes leading humanity to healthier, vibrant lives, so I believe our organizational culture should also emphasize leading our own employees to help them achieve healthier, vibrant lives.  That’s what gets me excited about leading my projects.

What trends are you noticing in the healthcare industry that are related to the work being done at Magellan Federal? Are there any lessons from other industries that can be applied to the work happening at Magellan Federal?

I see many positive trends, but I also see that the healthcare industry faces many of the same challenges as an industry in general. There are remarkable things happening with innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence and digital apps that show great promise to improve healthcare outcomes.  But there are also issues and trends involving burnout of physicians and caregivers, and politicization of healthcare. What I try to do is learn the lessons I can from what I see happening around me and apply what I’ve learned as best I can when I engage with my own employees. To me, the common denominator when we look at these issues always seems to circle back to the need for authentic, reality-based leadership.

Learn more about the various solutions provided by Magellan Federal here.

Millions of people are affected by mental health conditions each year. Unfortunately, more than half of them either delay seeking treatment or do not get help at all due to the associated stigma. Stigma causes people to feel ashamed, be concerned about being treated differently, or fear the loss of their livelihood due to something that is out of their control.

Mental health stigma is among the factors contributing to Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) being less likely than White people to receive treatment.[1] In 2020, 5.7% of Asian Americans, 9.4% of Black people or African Americans, and 10.7% of Hispanic or Latinx people received mental health services, compared to 21% of White people.[2]

What you can do

With compassion and support, people can recover and lead happier, healthier lives. Treatment is available and recovery is possible. But overcoming stigma is a critical first step in the process.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) offers some suggestions about what we can do as individuals to help reduce the stigma of mental illness:

1. Talk openly about mental health—and discuss it no differently than physical health.
2. Show compassion for those with mental health challenges.
3. Be conscious of language—remind people that words matter.
4. Educate yourself and others—respond to misperceptions or negative comments by sharing facts and experiences.
5. Encourage equality between physical and mental illness—draw comparisons to how they would treat someone with cancer or diabetes.
6. Be honest about treatment—normalize mental health treatment, just like other healthcare treatment.
7. Let the media know when they are presenting stories of mental illness in a stigmatizing way.

Additional mental health support and resources for BIPOC

On July 20 Magellan Healthcare hosted a webinar, “Navigating mental healthcare: Unique challenges faced by the BIPOC community,” for BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month. Watch a recording of the webinar as we explore different roles in behavioral healthcare and overcoming stigma to help BIPOC feel more knowledgeable and comfortable about reaching out for help: https://www.magellanhealthcare.com/event/navigating-mental-healthcare/.

Visit Magellanhealthcare.com/BIPOC-MH for more information and resources covering racism, stigma and more for BIPOC mental health.

[1] “Mental Health Disparities: Diverse Populations” American Psychiatric Association

[2] 2020 SAMHSA National Survey of Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Adult Mental Health Tables

The new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline launched on July 16, 2022. With 988, it’s now easier than ever for anyone experiencing mental health-related distress–whether that is thoughts of suicide, a mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress–to seek immediate help.

The new 988 dialing code operates through the existing National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (the Lifeline) network of over 200 locally operated and funded crisis centers across the U.S. People can now access a strengthened and expanded Lifeline via 988 or the existing 10-digit number (which will not go away).

In this post, we’ll continue the introduction of the new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and provide additional resources for you to learn more and be prepared if you or someone you know experiences a mental health crisis.

What is 988?

Beyond being an easy-to-remember number, 988 provides a direct connection to trained, compassionate and community-based crisis counselors for anyone experiencing mental health-related distress–whether that is thoughts of suicide, a mental health or substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress.

Who can use 988?

988 services are confidential, free and available 24/7/365 for anyone experiencing a mental health, substance use or suicidal crisis. And 988 isn’t just for you. People can also dial 988 if they are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

How are 988 services accessed?

The 988-dialing code is available for call (multiple languages) or text (English only), and chat services (English only) can be accessed at 988Lifeline.org. 988 services are available through every landline, cell phone and voice-over-internet device in the U.S.

 How is 988 different from 911?

The focus of 988 is to provide easier access to the Lifeline network and related crisis resources, which are distinct from 911, where the focus is on dispatching Emergency Medical Services, fire and police, as needed.

Why was 988 created and where can I get more information?

Congress designated the new 988 dialing code in 2020 to improve access to crisis services in a way that meets our country’s growing suicide and mental health-related crisis care needs. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is the lead federal agency, along with Vibrant Emotional Health (operational home of the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline), in partnership with the Federal Communications Commission and Department of Veterans Affairs, to make 988 a reality in the U.S.

SAMHSA provides comprehensive resources for anyone to learn more about 988, suicide prevention and mental health crisis services at   SAMHSA.gov/988.

Is my state ready for 988?

States are at varying degrees of readiness for the volume increases expected from moving to the 3-digit code, 988. The federal government is responding to resource challenges with unprecedented levels of funding and an all-of-government approach to partner with state and local leaders to improve system capacity and performance.

Find additional information and materials on suicide prevention at MagellanHealthcare.com/Prevent-Suicide, and stay tuned for our September Suicide Prevention Awareness Month campaign and free webinar.

Sign up to receive updates a few times a month from Magellan on free behavioral health resources you can use and share with family, friends and colleagues here.

Sources: SAMHSA and the National Action Alliance for Suicide prevention

Magellan Healthcare is a proud supporter of BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month in July. BIPOC is an acronym for Black, Indigenous and People of Color that aims to empower groups formerly identified as “minority” or “marginalized.”

In this post, we’ll discuss BIPOC mental health and barriers to care. You can learn more by watching a recording of our webinar, “Navigating mental healthcare: Unique challenges faced by the BIPOC community,” here.

Prevalence of mental health conditions among BIPOC communities

BIPOC face unique stressors that increase mental health vulnerability. Racism and discrimination are consistently found to be associated with poorer mental health.[1]

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports the prevalence of mental health conditions among BIPOC:[2]

BIPOC adults (prevalence of any mental health condition)

• 32% Two or more races
• 19% American Indian and Alaska Native
• 18% Hispanic or Latinx
• 17% Black or African American
• 17% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders
• 14% Asian American

BIPOC youth (prevalence of depression)

• 21% Two or more races
• 17% Hispanic or Latinx
• 15% Asian American
• 12% American Indian and Alaska Native
• 11% Black or African American
• (data not available) Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islanders

Barriers for BIPOC in accessing mental healthcare

BIPOC are less likely to receive treatment for mental health or substance use conditions.[2] In 2020, 5.7% of Asian Americans, 9.4% of Black people or African Americans, and 10.7% of Hispanic or Latinx people received mental health services, compared to 21% of White people.[2]

Research indicates, compared with people who are White, people in BIPOC communities are:[3]

• Less likely to have access to mental health services
• Less likely to seek out treatment
• More likely to receive low or poor quality of care
• More likely to end services early

Several factors contribute to BIPOC being less likely to receive treatment for mental health or substance use conditions, including a lack of insurance or underinsurance, mental illness stigma, language barriers and distrust in the healthcare system.[4]

Increasing awareness of the issues people of color and those in marginalized communities face helps reduce stigma so those with mental health concerns can get the help they need to thrive in their lives.

On July 20 Magellan Healthcare hosted a webinar, “Navigating mental healthcare: Unique challenges faced by the BIPOC community,” for BIPOC Mental Health Awareness Month. Watch a recording of the webinar as we explore different roles in behavioral healthcare and overcoming stigma to help BIPOC feel more knowledgeable and comfortable about reaching out for help: https://www.magellanhealthcare.com/event/navigating-mental-healthcare/.

[1] “Racism as a Determinant of Health: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”, “Self-Reported Experiences of Discrimination and Health: Scientific Advances, Ongoing Controversies, and Emerging Issues”, “Discrimination and Subsequent Mental Health, Substance Use, and Well-being in Young Adults”

[2] SAMHSA 2020 National Survey of Drug Use and Health Adult and Youth Mental Health Tables

[3] Counseling Today, “The historical roots of racial disparities in the mental health system”

[4] American Psychiatric Association, “Mental Health Disparities: Diverse Populations”