Behavioral health conditions are an increasingly common driver of short-term disability, resulting in longer absences, higher costs, and greater workforce disruption. Traditional disability programs often focus on administration rather than actively supporting recovery and return to work.

In Magellan’s new white paper, learn how an integrated behavioral health absence management approach can help employers support employees more effectively while reducing time away from work.

Key Insights You’ll Learn

• Why behavioral health-related disability leaves often last longer than other disability claims.
• How coordinated care management, therapy, and clinical oversight can support recovery and functional improvement.
• Strategies for creating a more intentional and sustainable return-to-work process.
• Real-world results from an employer implementation.

Demonstrated Employer Outcomes

Organizations using Magellan’s behavioral health absence management approach achieved:

• 42 average missed calendar days compared to 72 days with a previous vendor.
• 42% fewer missed calendar days.
• 99% participation rates across therapy and care management services.

Who Should Download This White Paper?

• Chief Human Resources Officers
• Benefits Leaders
• Disability and Leave Management Professionals
• Employee Wellbeing Leaders
• Health Plans
• Disability Carriers
• Risk and Workforce Health Executives

Why Magellan

With more than 50 years of behavioral health experience, Magellan helps employers, health plans, and government organizations address complex behavioral health challenges through evidence-based, integrated solutions. The approach outlined in this white paper combines clinical expertise, care management, and technology-enabled support to help individuals recover and return to work safely and successfully.

Want to discuss your absence management strategy?

Connect with a Magellan expert to learn how an integrated behavioral health absence management model can support recovery, reduce time away from work, and improve workforce outcomes. Email us at Gensales@magellanhealth.com.

Download the white paper

Depression is common, and seeking help is an important step toward better mental health for yourself, a friend or a family member. Read on to better understand depression, why it’s okay to seek support and learn about beneficial tools.

What is depression?

Depression is an illness that causes you to feel sad, lose interest in activities that you used to enjoy, withdraw from others and have little energy. It is not a character flaw or personal failing and experiencing depression does not diminish your strength, worth or value as a person.

It’s okay to ask for help

Seeking support when you need it is a healthy and normal part of life; it’s a sign of strength and self-awareness. Everyone needs support sometimes, and that’s okay.

Benefits of self-screening tools

Screenings do not diagnose mental health conditions. They are used to identify signs of potential mental health concerns early and connect individuals to care and resources. Screenings may help people feel more comfortable talking about mental health.

Trying to figure out how to get help with depression or mental health symptoms can be challenging on your own. Self-screening tools can be a good first step to help yourself, a family member, or a friend. Be sure to review your results and any recommendations with your doctor or mental health professional.

Visit Magellan’s Behavioral Health Resources website for mental health self-screening tools, educational resources and more.

While technology creates efficiency, it also introduces new pressures. Constant connectivity can lead to information overload, reduced attention span and difficulty separating work from personal time.

• Create intentional pauses: Schedule short breaks away from screens to reset focus and reduce cognitive strain. Even a few minutes can improve clarity.
• Set clear boundaries: Define when you will and won’t be online. Communicating your availability manages expectations and reduces the pressure to respond immediately.
• Limit multitasking: Switching between tools and tasks can reduce productivity and increase stress. Focus on one priority at a time when possible.
• Protect your time and energy: Form healthier work habits using apps that feature focus timers, screen time tracking and reminders to step away from your screen.

Balancing engagement with disconnection is key. Technology should support your work, not consume your attention.

For wounded, ill, and injured service members and veterans, the Warrior Games represent something powerful: a pathway to recovery, renewed purpose, and future success.  

Magellan Federal had the honor of attending and supporting the 2026 Warrior Games in San Antonio, an event that draws thousands of supporters each year to cheer on recovering service members competing in adaptive sports. Those not intimately involved in the Warrior Games may see medals and competition. What they don’t always see is the recovery journey that brought these service members to the Warrior Games. Throughout the week, we witnessed firsthand how adaptive sports, career development, and community support work together to build resilience, confidence, and hope for the future. 

The Power of Adaptive Sports 

Adaptive sports use specialized equipment, adaptive techniques, and tailored coaching to ensure recovering service members can safely engage in activities such as wheelchair basketball, sitting volleyball, cycling, rowing, swimming, archery, and track and field. 

Adaptive sports provide wounded, ill, and injured service members with opportunities to rebuild strength, regain confidence, and reconnect with a sense of purpose through competition and physical activity. More than recreation, adaptive sports are a proven pathway to recovery, resilience, and long-term wellbeing. They help participants overcome physical and psychological challenges while fostering camaraderie and teamwork. 

The Impact of Coaching 

Adaptive sports coaches are essential to this process. They do far more than teach athletic techniques or improve performance. As mentors, motivators, and trusted supporters, they help service members navigate their recovery journey, set meaningful goals, and recognize their abilities rather than their limitations. 

Through their leadership, coaches create an environment that promotes growth, independence, and empowerment, enabling athletes to achieve success both in sport and in life beyond military service. 

Magellan Federal, alongside our prime partner, KSA Integration, provided 10 adaptive sports coaches during the Warrior Games through the USMC’s Warrior Athletic Reconditioning Program (WAR-P). Our coaches play a critical role in supporting recovering service members both on and off the field of competition.  

One coach, Coach Lenville P. O’Donnell, shared, “I’ve been coaching at the Warrior Games for nine years, and the success of the program is indisputable. It gives these warriors a purpose and teaches them a process for success they carry forward in everything they will do in life. The Warrior Athletic Reconditioning Program changes lives and benefits not just the service members and veterans but their family and friends.”  

His perspective highlights the lasting impact of adaptive sports programs, where recovery is not defined by limitations but by empowering individuals to recognize their strengths, capabilities, and potential. 

Preparing for Life Beyond Recovery 

The lessons learned through adaptive sports often extend well beyond competition. The same resilience, discipline, confidence, and goal-setting skills that help recovering service members succeed in athletics also help prepare them for the next phase of their recovery journey. While physical rehabilitation is an important part of recovery, long-term success also depends on education, employment, personal growth, and finding renewed purpose for the future. 

During the Warrior Games, Magellan Federal Regional Coordinators supporting the Defense Health Agency Warrior Care Recovery Coordination Program’s Education and Employment Initiative (E2I) and Operation Warfighter (OWF) programs, in partnership with our prime contractor, AMSG, had the opportunity to engage with hundreds of service members, family members, and military leaders.  

Through E2I and OWF, recovering service members receive individualized support to explore career pathways, pursue educational opportunities, gain meaningful work experience, and prepare for successful transitions into civilian life. These programs help participants build the skills, confidence, and professional networks necessary for long-term success, reinforcing that recovery is not simply about overcoming challenges, but about creating new opportunities for growth and achievement.  

By focusing on future goals and personal potential, E2I and OWF empower service members to define their next chapter with purpose, resilience, and optimism. 

A Commitment That Extends Beyond the Games 

At Magellan Federal, we are proud to support initiatives that empower those who have served our nation. The Warrior Games are a powerful reminder that resilience grows when individuals are given the tools, encouragement, and opportunities to succeed, both during recovery and beyond. 

Long after the Games conclude, the confidence, connections, and skills gained through these programs continue to support participants as they pursue new personal and professional goals. The Warrior Games demonstrate that recovery is not defined by limitations or setbacks, but by the opportunities, support, and determination that help individuals move forward with confidence and purpose.

Spotlight Magellan gives colleagues and those we collaborate with the opportunity to get to know Magellan employees through facilitated interviews that explore their personal interests and the meaningful work happening across Magellan. Through intentional engagement, Spotlight Magellan fosters a sense of community and connection, and highlights the impact demonstrated by individuals in their roles at Magellan.

This month, we’re getting to know Alex Llamas, program director, Early Childhood Supports and Services (ECSS).

Continue reading to learn more about Alex:

Describe a typical workday in your life.

One thing I have learned in my role is there really is no “typical” day and that is one of the things I enjoy about it. My day may include meeting with state partners, collaborating with providers across Louisiana, supporting my team, reviewing program data or working with community organizations to increase awareness of Early Childhood Supports and Services. At the center of all of it is the same goal: making sure children and families have access to the support they need to grow, thrive and be healthy.

What is your favorite thing to do during your time off?

My favorite thing to do is spend time with my wife and our family. We have a beautiful six-year-old daughter and a three-year-old son who definitely keeps us busy, but they also keep me grounded. With how busy work can get, I really value the time I get to just be present with my family, whether we’re traveling, hanging out at home or simply making memories together. They bring me so much joy and are honestly one of the best ways for me to disconnect and recharge. Spending time with them helps me slow down, enjoy the little moments and remember what matters most.

Do you have any recipes that you love to make (or have made for you)?

Growing up in Mexico, food has always been a big part of family and bringing everyone together. One of my absolute favorites is pozole verde de pollo, and I have to say, my mom makes the best one! It’s a traditional Mexican soup made with chicken and hominy in a flavorful green broth, topped with fresh lettuce, radishes, onion, lime and a little spice. For me, it’s more than just a favorite meal, it reminds me of home, my childhood and time spent with family.

What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?

Hispanic Heritage Month is very meaningful to me because it gives me an opportunity to remember where I come from and celebrate the traditions that shaped who I am today. I grew up in a small town called Los Llamas, Zacatecas, Mexico, where family, community and traditions were part of everyday life. I grew up surrounded by my primos (cousins), many of whom lived nearby, and some of my best childhood memories are of all of us growing up together.

One of the things I love most about my Hispanic culture is our sense of family and community. We come together during the good times to celebrate, but we also come together during difficult times to support one another. That sense of community has stayed with me throughout my life and is something I hope to pass on to my children.

What traditions around Hispanic Heritage Month do you and/or your family celebrate?

One celebration that is especially important to me is Mexican Independence Day. The celebration begins on the evening of September 15 with El Grito and continues on September 16, Mexico’s Independence Day. Growing up, celebrations like this meant family, food, music, traditions and being together as a community.

Now that I live in the United States, I still enjoy seeing my friends and community celebrate our heritage by wearing traditional Mexican and Hispanic clothing and coming together through food, music and many of the traditions we grew up with. It brings back wonderful memories of home and reminds me that even though I may be far from the small town where I grew up, my culture and traditions continue to be an important part of who I am. I also enjoy sharing those traditions with my children so they can understand where our family comes from and take pride in their heritage.

What drew you to Magellan?

I was drawn to Magellan because of the opportunity to make an impact on a larger scale. My professional background has centered around behavioral health, children, families and community-based services, so the opportunity to help lead an initiative focused on infant and early childhood mental health felt very meaningful to me. ECSS allows us to intervene early, strengthen families and help build a foundation that can positively influence a child for years to come.

What do you like best about your current position?

What I enjoy most is knowing that we are building something that can make a lasting difference for children and families across Louisiana. I have the opportunity to work with providers, state partners, community organizations and an incredible group of professionals who all bring different perspectives to the table. Seeing a program move from planning and implementation to actually reaching families is incredibly rewarding. Every referral represents a child and family who may now have access to support they did not have before.

How do you feel you excel in supporting your team(s)?

I believe leadership starts with relationships. I try to create an environment where people feel supported, heard and comfortable bringing both successes and challenges to the table. I believe in recognizing people for what they do well, providing guidance when they need it and being willing to have difficult conversations when necessary. I also never want to ask someone to do something I am unwilling to do myself. At the end of the day, my goal as a leader is not simply to manage the work; it is to help people grow, feel valued and understand how their individual contributions connect to the larger mission.

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month

Feeling seen, heard and supported can reduce suicide risk and extend hope at every stage of life. If you’re concerned someone might be thinking about suicide, connection can make a difference.

• Talk in a private, safe place.
• Listen with care and without judgement.
• Ask directly about suicidal thoughts.
• Avoid minimizing, debating or giving advice.
• Encourage professional help.
• Take concerns seriously; remove lethal means and stay with them.
• Call or text 988 or chat at 988Lifeline.org.

Remind them their life matters. One conversation can save a life.

Spotlight Magellan gives colleagues and those we collaborate with the opportunity to get to know Magellan employees through facilitated interviews that explore their personal interests and the meaningful work happening across Magellan. Through intentional engagement, Spotlight Magellan fosters a sense of community and connection, and highlights the impact demonstrated by individuals in their roles at Magellan.

This month, we’re getting to know Timothy Kolber, report analyst, analytical services department.

Continue reading to learn more about Timothy, who started with Magellan in March of 2010 after 10 plus years in the mortgage/banking industry:

What are you currently reading and/or watching?  

I am currently watching From, Lucky, House of Dragons and Hawk (Netflix, Prime and Apple shows) and the Phillies and Eagles (Philadelphia, PA sports).

Do you have any recipes that you love to make (or have made for you)?  

Love Jersey Shore pizza (Mack’s and Manko Manko) and local wings from a local sports bar (Jug Handle Inn).

What is your favorite thing to do during your time off? 

Spending time with my wife at the Jersey Shore (Avalon, Stone Harbor, Sea Isle and Wildwood).

Do you have any pets? Tell us about their quirky personality traits and share a picture!

I have three male cats. Our newest addition is a kitten we got last year. We named him Loki, and he certainly lives up to his namesake (Loki is a Marvel Studios character and is the God of Mischief and his tricks and schemes wreak havoc across the realms).

Loki is the most mischievous cat we have ever had. He had somehow been messing with the air conditioning vents in the floor. I came down an hour before my work day to find the cover open. I looked all over the house for him and then I heard a cry coming from the vent. I began calling for him through the vent and thankfully, he followed my voice and came to me. I had to permanently attach all the vents. He was scared—but not hurt. Very lucky he didn’t get far.

What drew you to Magellan?

Prior to working at Magellan, I worked for two major banks/mortgage companies. I feel better working for a company like Magellan and supporting members, providers and clinicians in managing the health and wellness of our members. I work for the good of the people.

What do you like best about your current position?

As a reporting team member, I work on claims and authorizations reporting for public sector contracts. I align reporting work with system migration efforts so the team can support ongoing business needs. I am fortunate to work with a wonderful team.

I also like working with people in different parts of the country on different contracts. As a remote employee since 2020, I have learned that remote working is viable and can be mostly flawless.

What is the best career advice you have received or have learned through your own experiences? 

1.) Keep an open mind and don’t be afraid to express issues with your immediate supervisor. 2.) Work on your required trainings when assigned. If you do this, it will never weigh on you to finish.  😊

Financial readiness means understanding how to protect yourself from predatory practices and make confident, informed financial decisions. Here are some helpful steps to get you started:

1.      Start with Research

One of the best ways to protect your finances is to do your homework before making a purchase. Whether you’re shopping for a new car, applying for a loan, or making another major financial decision, take time to research your options.

Review your budget, understand what you can realistically afford, and learn about the businesses and lenders you’re considering. Are they military-friendly? Do they have a strong reputation for customer service? Have other consumers reported concerns or complaints? A little preparation can help you avoid costly mistakes and make decisions with confidence.

2.      Stay Vigilant

Service members and their families are often targeted by aggressive sales tactics and predatory financial practices. These may come from lenders, retailers, or even individuals who claim a military affiliation.

That is why it is important to stay vigilant. If someone is asking you to spend your hard-earned money, take the time to understand who they are and whether their offer is truly in your best interest. The more informed you are, the better equipped you will be to recognize red flags and avoid financial pitfalls.

3.      Know Your Rights and Resources

In addition to the consumer protections available to all Americans, service members and their dependents may be covered by laws such as the Military Lending Act (MLA) and the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA).

You do not have to become an expert on consumer law, but it is important to know where to find reliable, unbiased information. Resources such as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) offer valuable guidance on consumer rights, financial products, and common scams.

You also do not have to navigate financial decisions alone. Service members and their families have access to free, confidential support on the Department of Defense Financial Readiness (DoDFINRED) website. Counselors can assist with budgeting, credit management, and consumer education.

Additional assistance is available through Military OneSource and your installation’s legal assistance office.

Consumer Awareness Supports Financial Readiness

Being an informed consumer puts you in control. By researching before you buy, understanding your rights, and taking advantage of available resources, you can make confident financial decisions and better protect your financial future.

Make consumer awareness part of your financial readiness strategy. Taking a few extra steps before making a financial commitment can help ensure you are making decisions that support your goals, protect your finances, and safeguard the resources you have worked hard to earn.