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Support for PTSD in the Military

Article originally published on MFed Inform.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an increasingly important topic and issue within the U.S. military, across all Services. With thousands of counselors around the globe providing health and wellness care on military installations, Magellan Federal has a wealth of knowledge on PTSD and we would like to raise awareness around the symptoms, causes, and share some of the resources available to those who suffer from it.

Get to Know PTSD

PTSD is a medically diagnosed mental health condition that can develop after experiencing, witnessing, or learning the details of a traumatic event. Common causes include:

  • Combat
  • Threat of injury or death
  • Terrorist attack
  • Serious accident
  • Sexual assault
  • Physical assault
  • Natural Disaster
  • Childhood sexual or physical abuse

There are four different categories of symptoms that must be present for a diagnosis of PTSD:

  1. Intrusions: recurring distressing memories, dreams, or flashbacks
  2. Avoidance: staying away from people or places that remind them of the trauma
  3. Persistent negative mood or thoughts: inability to experience positive emotions; excessive blame, fear, shame and/or guilt; detachment from others
  4. Arousal or reactivity: irritability, hypervigilance, difficulty concentrating, self-destructive behaviors

PTSD became a mental health diagnosis in 1980 with the influence of social movements, such as veteran, feminist, and Holocaust survivor advocacy groups. Research about veterans returning from combat was a critical piece to the creation of the diagnosis. So, the history of what is now known as PTSD often references combat history.[i]

Prevalence in Service Members

According to the Defense Health Agency, between 2016–2020, 93,346 Service members received care for PTSD in the Military Health System and 74,232 of those Service members were diagnosed during or following deployment.[ii]

Available Programs and Resources for Service Members

While individual, trauma-focused psychotherapy is the first line of treatment recommended for PTSD, non-clinical support is also important and available to enable the healing process.

Magellan Federal helps deliver the Defense Health Agency’s Warrior Care Recovery Coordination Program (WC-RCP) to proactively support Recovering Service members (RSMs) who have been wounded, ill, and injured – including those with PTSD – in their recovery and reintegration into military service or transition to civilian life through non-clinical specialized programs and resources that also include support for their families and caregivers. Some of these programs and resources include:

Recovery Coordination Program (RCP): Under this program, available to all branches of service, Recovery Care Coordinators (RCCs) work closely with each Service member to develop a non-medical plan for recovery. Service members who may be suffering from PTSD are eligible to receive the support of an RCC.

RCCs are available at military treatment facilities and installations across the country. You can access assistance through your military services’ wounded, ill, and injured programs including:

Military Caregiver Support: Provides resources and information for military caregivers who assist RSMs with activities of daily living. Since 2013, DoD’s support for military caregivers has positively impacted thousands of lives by addressing key issues that affect caregivers in the short and long term. These issues often include mental and physical health, finances, transportation, maintaining a strong family, navigating through legal issues, and housing. In partnership with the National Resource Directory (NRD), the new electronic Caregiver Resource Directory (e-CRD) is also available. The e-CRD is a live document that is searchable, ready to download, and updated weekly to populate the most current vetted caregiver-specific resources available.

Military Adaptive Sports Program (MASP): This program provides opportunities for all RSMs to participate in adaptive sports and reconditioning activities to improve their physical and mental quality of life throughout the continuum of recovery and transition. MASP is designed to enhance recovery by engaging RSMs early in individualized physical and cognitive activities outside of traditional therapy settings. Through MASP, Service members also have access to the Healing Arts, which support both physical and psychological recovery and rehabilitation from visible and invisible wounds of war including PTSD, traumatic brain injury (TBI), and others.

National Resource Directory (NRD): This website provides access to tens of thousands of vetted services and resources at the federal, state, and local levels that support recovery, rehabilitation, and community integration for Service members, wounded warriors, veterans, and their families/caregivers. There are over 300 resources readily available regarding PTSD, such as:

  • PTSD Foundation of America
  • Brain Injury Network
  • National Center for PTSD
  • National Veterans Wellness & Healing Center
  • And many more…

When to Ask for Help

Remember, PTSD affects people differently and treatment is not one size fits all. If you think you or someone you know is possibly experiencing signs or symptoms of PTSD, no one has to cope alone. Help is out there in an array of forms from a variety of sources to meet anyone’s unique needs, whether it be clinical, non-clinical, or a combination of both.

To learn more about PTSD, visit https://health.mil/Military-Health-Topics/Total-Force-Fitness/Psychological-Fitness/Post-Traumatic-Stress-Disorder or https://www.ptsd.va.gov/index.asp.

To learn more about WC-RCP programs and resources, visit https://warriorcare.dodlive.mil/.


[i] Friedman MJ, MD, PhD. Department of Veterans Affairs. PTSD: National Center for PTSD. History of PTSD in Veterans: Civil War to DSM-5. Available online: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand/what/history_ptsd.asp

[ii] Defense Health Agency, Military Health System. PTSD 101 Infographic (May 2021). Available online: https://www.health.mil/-/media/Images/MHS/Infographics/June-Toolkit-2021/PTSD-101-Infographic.ashx




Benefits of Hiring Military Spouses

With a rich history of providing service and support to Warriors, Veterans, and their families, Magellan Federal is fortunate to attract and employ talent who have served our country or who have family members who have served. Here’s why Magellan Federal is fully committed to hiring military spouses.

Employment Challenges for Military Spouses

Deployments and relocations often lead to gaps in resumes, leading recruiters to incorrectly conclude that these candidates don’t have what it takes to keep a job. But in the context of military spouses, nothing could be further from the truth. The challenges of military life require an underlying creativity, grit, and a commitment to persevere.

In our experience, resume gaps are sometimes reflections of great self-sacrifice and the application of hidden talents. Military spouses are incredibly resourceful at using their time to their advantage—seizing additional education opportunities and certifications, stepping up for important volunteer opportunities as “unsung heroes,” and continually expanding their professional networks and interests. Many times, these highly desirable talents stay locked within the realm of volunteer organizations as employers make false assumptions about the employability of military spouses and the benefits of hiring them. Smart organizations see the benefit of employing military spouses in flexible roles to ensure they can support their home life while delivering important work.

Employer Benefits—Service and Loyalty

Once an employer has whittled a candidate field down to those with the desired or required skill sets, it is time to look further at the quality of the candidate and potential for retention. Of note, less than 1% of eligible Americans commit to service in the Armed Forces.

It’s no surprise that those who choose to marry service members often share these values and desire to serve. Bringing military spouses onboard at your organization will not only boast diverse skills that complement and improve your capabilities, but these individuals also often have an unmatched dedication to service. Military spouses spend their lives supporting their partner’s career, ensuring their spouse can perform their job with the certainty that all is well on the home front. That level of effort and flexibility to adapt to the ever-changing demands to meet the daily and emergent situations that arise, makes them extremely self-sufficient, alert for challenges, and exceptionally skilled in multi-tasking and dealing with changing priorities. These “soft skills,” coupled with the fact that most are driven to make their own significant contributions make them an invaluable addition to any organization.

To read the full article, visit https://www.magellanfederal.com/whats-new/mfed-inform/




The new 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is here

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




Raising awareness of BIPOC mental health and ending stigma

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, a lack of diversity and cultural competence among mental healthcare providers, 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”




8 signs social media is hurting a child and 8 tips to help

More than half of the world’s population–4.55 billion people–currently uses social media.[1] Of children in the U.S., 84% aged 13-18 and 38% aged 8-12 use social media.[2] We spend an average of 2 hours and 27 minutes each day on social media.[1] 

Whether we need it or not, it’s safe to say that social media isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

In our recent webinar, “Addressing the effects of social media on kids,” we learned that 90% of the participants believe the overall impact of social media on their kids is negative. While many parents are concerned about their children’s use of social media and how it’s affecting their mental health, there are things we can do to protect them.

In this post, we will cover behaviors to watch for in a child who may be struggling due to effects from social media, as well as tips and resources to help in moderating their social media use.

Signs that social media may be negatively impacting a child​

In our webinar during Mental Health Month, 94% of participants expressed worry that social media is impacting their child. If you find yourself in a similar situation, trust your gut and watch for any of the following, which could be signs of an unhealthy relationship with social media.

  1. Isolation–Do you find that your child is spending a lot of time alone and on their phone, computer or other device? Are they avoiding in-person time with friends and family?
  2. Poor mood after exposure–Does your child seem happy or unhappy after they’ve been on social media? Try to get a sense of their mood during or just after social media use.
  3. Irritability or angry outbursts–Does their anger seem misplaced or are they exhibiting these behaviors for seemingly no reason?
  4. Doesn’t want to go to school–Does your child seem to dread going to school each day, or are they actively trying to get out of it? Talk to your child to get an understanding of why they may be avoiding school.
  5. Falling grades–Are you noticing bad test scores or falling report card grades? Pay close attention to negative grade fluctuations which could be a reflection of more than just how much studying and learning is taking place.
  6. Decreased interest in offline activities–Are they participating less in activities they have always enjoyed or showing little interest in new activities, such as sports, arts and crafts, and other hobbies?
  7. Headaches or upset stomach–Do they seem to have more frequent complaints about not feeling good? Reoccurring physical health conditions can manifest from stress and mental health challenges.
  8. Deteriorating mental health–Are you noticing that your child just doesn’t seem like their normal happy self? Talk to your children each day about their feelings and be cognizant of any signs of depression, anxiety or mood changes.

Helping your kids have a healthy relationship with social media

If you notice any of the above signs in your children, it may be a result of negative impacts from their use of social media. Set your kids up for success with these proactive tips and resources for when there may be a problem.

  1. Talk about the risks, traps and dangers and keep an open dialogue–It’s critical to help your kids understand the realities of social media. Talk with them about adult predators who pose as friends their age, how all of the happy pictures of friends and even strangers don’t show the whole picture, and how negative comments can be deeply hurtful and follow the person who posts them forever.
  2. Set up parental controls and monitor activity–Find helpful resources with these guides:
  1. Balance screentime and face-to-face time with family and friends​–Despite the negative impacts, there is also much positivity that can come from social media. While it may be easy to get sucked in, as social media is designed to do just that, it’s important to remind your kids about all that the real world and people around them have to offer.
  2. ​​Post and seek out positive content–Explain to your kids that we can all help to keep social media a positive place by being respectful in our comments and understanding of different perspectives. Help them understand that they should seek out social media interactions that make them feel good about themselves and provide a healthy sense of connection with others.
  3. Encourage good sleep​ and exerciseWe’re not usually at our most active when on social media. We must encourage our kids to keep up their physical activity, which will benefit their physical health and mood. A healthy sleep routine will also provide benefits for kids in all aspects of their lives, and it’s important not to let social media interfere with sleep.
  4. Utilize resources on cyberbullying:
  1. Model good behavior–Just like kids, parents and caregivers are susceptible to having an unhealthy relationship with social media. Remember these tips when balancing your own on- and off-screen time because your kids are watching.
  2. Seek professional help​ when needed–If you suspect that your child is struggling, reach out to their doctor or mental health professional for support and treatment options.

For many parents, today’s digital world is very different from the one in which they grew up. Navigate this ever-changing environment with your kids and keep an open dialogue about the realities of social media beyond the glitz and glamour that appears on the surface, as well as alternative sources for contentment, inspiration and social connection.

Learn more about social media and kids

Find the recording of our webinar, “Addressing the effects of social media on kids,” where I, along with other children’s behavioral health experts, address this important issue and answer audience questions here.


Additional webinar resources:


[1] Statusbrew, “100 social media statistics you must know in 2022 [+Infographic]”

[2] Common Sense Media, “The Common Sense Census: Media use by tweens and teens, 2021”




Creating a Respectful Gender Culture for Those in the Military

Affirmative Care for Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Persons

There are an estimated 14,700 transgender and an unknown number of non-binary individuals serving in the U.S. military today. Magellan Federal provides non-clinical counseling on military bases around the world. We draw on that experience to provide guidance on how to create a respectful culture in military environments as well as in your community.

Read the full article on MFed Inform




Spotlight Magellan Health: Greg Dicharry

For Greg Dicharry, his work at Magellan Healthcare is not just a job, it’s a passion. Filming and directing documentaries highlighting suicide awareness has been a welcome side gig of Dicharry’s job as national youth empowerment director at Magellan. For the past 14 years, Dicharry has been connecting with people affected in some way by suicide, substance use and other mental health concerns. From those experiences, he launched the MY LIFE (Magellan Youth Leaders Inspiring Future Empowerment) program. MY LIFE provides various activities and workshops for youths ages 13 to 23-year-olds nationally who have experience with mental health, substance use, juvenile justice or foster care-related issues or have a friend or family member coping with these issues. Dicharry’s latest documentary project, “My Ascension,” shows the crippling effects suicide can have on families while telling the captivating personal story of a suicide survivor. Continue reading to learn more about the MY LIFE program and Dicharry’s upcoming documentary.

What sort of projects are you currently working on?

My main responsibility at Magellan is overseeing our MY LIFE program, which we created in 2008 as part of our Maricopa County, Arizona contract. Since 2008, MY LIFE has been leading the way nationally for youth involved in behavioral health and foster care systems. Through regular meetings, special events, performances, social media, and local and national presentations, youth share their stories and support each other in their recovery goals. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Magellan launched the Stay Home for MY LIFE virtual youth fest series in 2020. I also do a lot around suicide prevention for the Company and am a part of the new Suicide Center of Excellence. In my spare time, I create documentaries. Over the last three years I’ve been working on a documentary called “My Ascension.” Prior to that I had done another documentary called “Suicide: The Ripple Effect” but this new one is on teen suicide. I made it with a young lady who is a suicide attempt survivor. She attempted to take her life by gunshot and the result was that she is now paralyzed. She had this rebirth through that and now uses her experience to help others via speaking and advocacy, so the story is largely her story but also of other young people in the community who were successful in their suicide attempts and the aftermath of how that has affected their families.

“My Ascension” will premiere nationally on PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) in September. The primary distribution method has been virtual community screening around the country. We’ve done screenings with a couple of universities and several advocacy and mental health groups.

What inspires you to create these documentaries?

I dabbled in film and media throughout high school and college. When I moved to Los Angeles I started working on projects like movies, award shows, commercials and music videos and learning that way.

With the MY LIFE program, I had gotten a camera through Magellan and was able to start producing videos with the youth group so that got me back into filming and then I met a man through work, who’s a suicide attempt survivor, we became friends and he approached me wanting to make a documentary and I helped him with producing and directing. I didn’t plan on doing another documentary, but the opportunity came to tell this very compelling story for “My Ascension” that could reach a lot of young people and empower them in helping them to share their stories.

I also have a personal connection to this where I’ve found myself struggling with suicidal thoughts, and my cousin who was bipolar with a substance abuse issue and died by suicide about 20 years ago. I saw the impact that had on his family and that inspired me to be interested in the topic.

Why is Magellan the best place to do this project?

Magellan is open to innovation, even though it’s a big company everyone is open to new ideas to help better serve our members and customers. For example, with MY LIFE I came up with the idea to do this, it wasn’t something that was a part of my job description or something Magellan had ever done. But they let me run with it and it was successful. People saw the value of it and saw that the opportunity to serve our members and provide them with something in a different way.

With the documentaries, my job had allowed me to be able to do that kind of stuff on the side and it ended up being another way to connect with people differently way and blend the work I’m doing here.

What are your thoughts on the culture here at Magellan? How has the culture at Magellan impacted your project?

It’s a culture that’s open to innovation and that’s open for doing unique things that are engaging for our customers. It’s very supportive, encouraging, and positive work happening here.

  • Learn more about MY LIFE here.

 




Spotlight Magellan Health: Swarna Ramachandran

Swarna Ramachandran is bringing a new digital experience to the world of behavioral health. As vice president of digital and contact center solutions for Magellan Healthcare, Ramachandran is leading a team that is redesigning the online digital experience for members, making it more intuitive when finding the necessary resources. Digital transformation, including technology, experience and Contact Center modernization, has been core to where she is today, and navigating the whole realm delivery & PMO come natural to her, says Ramachandran. Keep reading to learn how Ramachandran and her team are creating a new digital experience for Magellan Health members.

Headshot of Magellan Health's Swarna Ramachandran who is the focus of this article

Q: What kind of projects are you working on right now?

A: Digital transformation is a key area of focus for Magellan Health. Engaging and enabling members digitally for care and self-service, helping reduce the stigma around mental health, and enabling self-service for providers and clients digitally are some of our key transformation goals.

The COVID-19 global pandemic has increased awareness and need for mental and behavioral health care for all of us. Several products have been released in the market that are either point solutions or solves for a couple areas of mental health, leaving the member with a myriad of apps and tools, leading to a dissatisfied member. One of Magellan Health’s core strengths is mental and behavioral health and with our diverse population of members across our products, we are in a unique position to provide our members with a guided approach to accessing care and address issues at their root by understanding the stressors, specific resources and community support.

Our vision is a holistic approach to member wellbeing and care. Our approach starts with member engagement and navigation to help remove the stigma towards mental health by helping the member to approach mental health and wellbeing as part of their whole health. We do this by promoting annual digital wellbeing checks in a self-service mode.

Q: How did you and your team come up with this idea? Why is Magellan Health the best place to work on this project?

A: Digital is everywhere and in everyone’s hand today in the form of mobile apps, websites and internet.  Ideas are plenty but solving for the real need is key. We conducted various design thinking sessions with members and studied the need thoroughly from the member perspective.

Magellan Health’s core strength is mental and behavioral healthcare, and we have a significant population of behavioral health members. We have members from our other products like Employer solutions, State and Federal, which puts us in a unique position to capitalize on our strengths and serve this large group of members at their doorstep and to get them healthy mentally and physically.

Learn more about the digital experience here.