It’s officially the holiday season—bring on the parties, travel, end-of-year work activities, and squeezing in quality time with loved ones! This year, remember to make time to take care of yourself and start 2020 off with your healthiest, most vibrant YOU. Here are our top three holiday health hacks:

Be mindful of your alcohol intake.

Avoiding triggers can be challenging this time of year. Dr. Caroline Carney, chief medical officer of Magellan Rx, was quoted in a helpful Huffington Post article that offers 14 useful tips for navigating the holidays when you’re not drinking.

Be mindful of your plate.

The celebration over food and eating during the holidays can be tough…but it doesn’t have to be! With a little planning and preparation, you can make healthy choices. Check out these 10 easy tips to for managing your diet this holiday season.

Be mindful.

Close your eyes, take a deep breath through your nose, and exhale slowly through your mouth. It will do wonders when you’re sitting in all that holiday traffic.

Wishing you and yours a happy and healthy holiday!

The following is an excerpt from the 2018 Magellan Community Impact Report.

Standing tall is a tall order. How do  you know what the right thing is? Answers aren’t often cut and dried. Instead, we know by having lived through similar, difficult experiences ourselves and standing beside those we support—standing together as peers on the path to recovery.

Living through the same kinds  of challenges

Magellan’s recovery support navigators represent our best practice approach to tapping the power and potential of peer support. Peer support is an evidence-based practice, and numerous studies continue to validate the effectiveness of these supports. Recovery support navigators are professionals who have lived experiences with some of the same challenges our members face. They have experienced substance use disorders or psychiatric disabilities and may have personally been homeless, had their utilities turned off or experienced food insecurity. They can relate to the members they support, empathize, and then draw on real-world solutions to help them.

Sharing our stories

Every day recovery support navigators show up and not only listen to and support our members, but also share pieces of their own stories to inspire hope and change. Dana Foglesong, director of recovery and resiliency services for Magellan Complete Care of Florida, knows first-hand the transformative power a peer specialist can have. She knows not just because she has been certified as a peer recovery specialist since 2010, but because Dana had the support of a peer support specialist herself.

Dana describes her journey: “In my late teens and early twenties, I bounced from state hospitals to crisis stabilization units. I was desperate to end my life. I had no hope that my former goals could ever be realized. When I started working with a peer specialist, I began to view myself and my future more positively. My peer specialist expected me to recover and connected me to the resources that empowered my recovery process.”

Dana not only recovered—she has thrived! She recently completed a master’s degree in social work and leads Magellan’s diverse team of recovery support navigators. She has been awarded for her commitment to providing help and hope to others, including for her work founding the Peer Support Coalition in Florida, which expands leadership, advocacy and employment opportunities for people, like her, with lived experience. Dana describes her life now, saying: “At Magellan, I have the opportunity to do such meaningful, passion-filled work. It keeps me inspired and grateful to be a part of helping our members lead healthy, vibrant lives.”

Leading the way

Magellan was the first managed care company in the United States to recognize and incorporate peer support services into the continuum of care. Since 1999, we have been a leader in increasing access to peer support through partnerships with the recovery community and providers. We have assisted state customers in developing robust certified peer specialist capabilities, driven in large part by our depth and breadth of experience. Magellan continues to create shared learning opportunities for the peer workforce and others to improve and enhance the knowledge, skills, and competencies of the peer workforce.

The following is an excerpt from the 2018 Magellan Community Impact Report.

It is estimated that 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. The opioid epidemic has become a national crisis and is continuing to grow rapidly, affecting families in every city across our nation.

No one is exempt from experiencing the effects of the opioid crisis. Magellan’s own Janet Edwards, RN, senior clinical director of Magellan’s Chronic Pain Management program, describes how close to home the opioid epidemic hit her:
It is estimated that 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. The opioid epidemic has become a national crisis and is continuing to grow rapidly, affecting families in every city across our nation.

“My daughter, Nikki, was 26 when she  died of a Fentanyl overdose. As the mother of a six-year-old and a critical care nurse working in a respected healthcare organization, Nikki was the picture of success. But to handle the pressures of nursing school, a full-time job, and life as a single mother, Nikki sought prescriptions for Adderall and Xanax from multiple physicians. Over time, her addiction to these substances gave way to a new addiction: Fentanyl, which she began to confiscate from the critical care unit where she worked.
Like many others, Nikki didn’t show any signs of addiction. But five years after her son was born, Nikki sat at my kitchen table and admitted that she was addicted to heroin. She was afraid to get help, because she did not want to lose her job or the respect of her peers. She insisted she could recover on her own. Even though I, as a nurse, knew the odds were not good that Nikki could manage her recovery alone, I respected my daughter’s wishes. It’s a decision I will forever regret. Eleven months later, Nikki died of an accidental overdose in front of her son and a friend.”

Following the loss of her daughter, Janet has openly shared Nikki’s story, becoming an advocate for helping prevent opioid addiction. Further, Janet has taken on clinical leadership of Magellan’s Chronic Pain program, which offers alternatives to opioid use.

Meeting opioid users where they are

No matter where or how someone encounters opioids or where they may be in the cycle of use, dependence or addiction, Magellan offers many other ways to address the opioid problem. Our behavioral health products forged from decades of serving the public, our specialty healthcare solutions supported by clinical excellence, and our customized pharmacy programs are ready to answer the call as organizations and individuals look for answers.
Hosting a forum for sharing successes  and discussing solutions

In September 2018, Magellan brought together  national and local leaders in Pennsylvania to  exchange ideas, share successes and  discuss solutions to the opioid  epidemic in our communities.  The free, second-annual  conference featured  keynote addresses and  workshops and highlighted  the proactive efforts of local  organizations. Participants included  national and state officials, county human  services and drug and alcohol leaders, legislative  staff, providers and community stakeholders.

Not staying silent on the silent epidemic

Magellan is actively helping individuals and families on their path to recovery. Further, to educate the public, doctors and other healthcare providers, we offer resources on our Magellan Health OPIOID INSIGHTS microsite. The site includes links to blog posts, videos, resources and published articles.

Hosting a forum for sharing successes and discussing solutions

InSeptember2018, Magellan brought together national and local leaders in Pennsylvania to exchange ideas, share successes and discuss solutions around the challenge we face together in addressing the opioid epidemic in our communities. The second-annual conference featured keynote addresses and workshops and highlighted the proactive efforts of local organizations. Participants at the free one-and-a-half-day conference included national and state officials, county human services and drug and alcohol leaders, legislative staff, providers and community stakeholders.

While there have been significant drug shortages in the past as a result of unforeseen circumstances, such as Hurricane Maria’s effect on Puerto Rico’s drug manufacturing facilities in 2017, drug shortages often crop up and continue despite no obvious reason. The ongoing shortage of vincristine, an older, traditional chemotherapy agent used for several cancers, has compelled tough decisions by providers and families. In some cases, there are few other treatment options for patients or the treatment regimen is incomplete without vincristine. Other shortages, including those for heparin, critical antimicrobials, and immunoglobulin, have also made national news. The United States (US) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitors and reports drug shortages and has historically worked with manufacturers and public health partners to mitigate the impact of shortages. For instance, during Hurricane Maria, the FDA allowed temporary importation of certain products from select manufacturers and worked to expedite reviews of drug applications that could alleviate shortages of affected medications. According to the FDA, the biggest causes for drug shortages are quality or manufacturing issues (37%), lack of raw materials (27%), and manufacturing delays and capacity concerns (27%).

Due to the ongoing issues associated with drug shortages and prompting from a bipartisan Congressional group in June 2018, the FDA developed an interagency Drug Shortages Task Force. This group was tasked with studying shortages, determining their root causes, and developing strategies to limit the occurrence and widespread effect of drug shortages. The Task Force evaluated products that were affected by a shortage between 2013 and 2017 and solicited public and key stakeholder feedback. In late October 2019, the FDA issued a press release announcing the publication of a report from the Task Force entitled, “Drug Shortages: Root Causes and Potential Solutions.” Notably, the Task Force confirmed that drug shortages not only persist but also have continued to rise again recently since falling from their peak in 2011. As an example of their impact, the group highlighted select medications whose shortages have had a significant clinical impact (e.g., pediatric oncology medications, medications for septic shock). Of the 163 drugs in shortage they analyzed, 63% were sterile injectables and 67% were products available as a generic. The median time since first approval was nearly 35 years and most were considered relatively “cheap,” as they were several years off-patent (median price of $2.27/unit for oral drugs and $11.05 for injectables).

The Task Force identified 3 root causes associated with drug shortages: (1) lack of incentives for manufacturing less profitable drugs; (2) lack of recognition and incentives for mature quality and production management, as well as production contingency plans; and (3) logistical and regulatory hurdles that limit production responsiveness. Moreover, the Task Force proposed solutions to alleviate the impact of drug shortages. The first recommendation is to create a shared understanding of the impact of drug shortages, including quantifying costs, frequency, persistence, and intensity, as well as improving transparency of contracted price and stipulations. The group also recommends the development of a rating system to incentivize a manufacturer’s investment in maturing quality management, beyond the minimum threshold of Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs), to improve voluntary transparency. Finally, the group recommends the promotion of sustainable private sector contracts. This recommendation would involve providing incentives for manufacturers that would mitigate the financial risk of introducing or keeping products on the market, in addition to quality-based manufacturing financial incentives. The Task Force further identified legislative proposals that could limit product availability interruptions (including improved data sharing), risk assessment to identify vulnerabilities, and additional expiration date/shelf-life data. Likewise, the Task Force also stated that the FDA plans to publish guidance for the industry. These would be regarding FDA notification of permanent or temporary manufacturing of a product and risk management plans to prevent and limit shortages.

In addition, other legislation has been proposed, such as the Mitigating Emergency Drug Shortages (MEDS) Act, introduced to legislation by Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) and Senator Tina Smith (D-MN). According to Collin’s office, shortages can add approximately $230 million in drug costs and $216 million in labor costs annually in the US. Key priorities of the Act include strengthening transparency to disclose causes, expected impact, and estimated durations of shortages; extending reporting requirements to include active ingredients (not only the finished product); requiring contingency and redundancy plans for critical medications; and incentivizing manufacturing of products in shortage. Furthermore, the proposed legislation would require the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct a risk assessment associated with shortages of critical drugs that could affect national security. So far, the MEDS Act has support from several healthcare organizations, including the American Pharmacist’s Association (APhA), American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and the American Hospital Association (AHA).

In the meantime, drug shortages continue to creep into national news. While a lack of drug accessibility is often linked to cost, drug shortages are a reminder that cost is not the only roadblock to treatment. Despite the innovation of the US healthcare system, and the novel drug and biologic discoveries that have dramatically altered care, some Americans, because of a variety of factors and causes, still find themselves scrambling to obtain routine or essential medications.

The Drug Shortages Task Force’s report may be found here: https://www.fda.gov/media/131130/download.

As an Adolescent Support and Counseling (ASACS) Counselor, it has always been a passion of mine to provide counseling and prevention serves to teens and their families. I’ve been very fortunate to fulfill that calling and having a platform to make an impact at Daegu Middle High School in Daegu, South Korea.

In supporting and working with the Daegu students, I developed a year-round leadership club called the Role Model Club. The goal of this club is to develop middle and high school students so they serve as peer leaders for younger students in elementary school.

All Role Model Club candidates are selected by their teachers and are interviewed for entry into the Club.  Once selected, students participate in several field trips, planned by ASACS, to the elementary school and school-age services for Red Ribbon Week (an awareness week that raises awareness on the importance of a drug-free, healthy youth) and Military Children’s Month. The club members also assist fifth graders as they being their transition into sixth grade.

Role Model Club members also participate in the planning and facilitating of various campaigns and serve as a positive advocate for youth in the community. Role models learn to act as ambassadors through positively influencing their peers and learn important skills to engage and connect with peers that are graduating to the next grade level. 

Through weekly meetings, students create educational skits to promote healthy decision-making skills. We focus on a variety of topics such as: drug refusal, fire and bullying prevention, developing interpersonal skills, technology management, positive body image and many others.

Throughout the school year, I actively engage with parents of Role Model Club students, making sure they are informed of activities, fieldtrips, contests, and various campaigns that students plan and implement throughout the school year and summer months.

The positive feedback that this program has received from both students and their parents truly reaffirms my belief that the Role Model Club is a unique and enriching experience for teens to learn leadership skills that will last a lifetime.

About Jasmin Coty

Ms. Jasmin Coty has been an ASACS Counselor since December 1989 helping military and civilian families throughout Germany for over 20 years and in the last five years assisting teen and their families at Daegu MHS in Daegu, South Korea.

The following is an excerpt from the 2018 Magellan Community Impact Report.

Learning and evolving aren’t just how we approach doing business. Magellan is committed to helping people reach their fullest human potential. But reaching your fullest potential could get derailed at any minute by a disaster.

Serving state employees during their toughest moments

The Camp Fire, which began November 8, 2018, was the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California history to date. It destroyed much of the town of Paradise, took 85 lives, and destroyed 13,972 homes, 528 businesses and 4,293 other buildings. The fire was followed by severe flooding. As the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) provider to the State of California, Magellan was immediately there to help. Through centralized specialty critical incident stress debriefings (CISDs), Magellan provides structured on-site support to employees who have been impacted by a traumatic event.

Delivering an employee wellness strategy best practice

CISDs give employees access to immediate, expert and compassionate support to help them understand and process their feelings about the traumatic event. Magellan can also recommend additional resources available through EAP, such as legal and financial assistance, and provide referrals to community resources. And, where appropriate, we provide one-on-one follow-up support. Magellan’s dedicated call center is available 24/7 and is staffed with trained clinical professionals to take calls and work with employers to develop appropriate support.

Providing support in critically stressful times

Magellan provided more than 40 CISDs for over 300 California state agency employees in response to 2018 wildfire and flooding natural disasters. Magellan CISD provider Shammy Pius, MFT, describes her experience leading debriefings for the Camp Fire event:

“I conducted numerous sessions with state agency employees, many of whom had to cope with their own personal losses while serving and supporting others. The support Magellan gave state employees was beneficial to them but also had a positive ripple effect in their communities. The group sessions helped employees feel like they weren’t alone. The feelings they were experiencing were normalized when they heard that their colleagues were also experiencing anger, sadness and stress. Importantly, it was essential that each employee not minimize their own experience.    Everyone felt disruption to some degree. Educating them about resiliency and coping techniques during the event and soon after encouraged employees to accept the support that was offered to them. We help set the expectation that recovery will take a while, but there is hope and things do get better over time. It’s incredible how people come together in times of adversity – it’s truly heartwarming. I’m essentially a stranger going into these workplaces, and I get to be a part of people’s journeys during some of their most difficult times. It’s an honor to me to do this work  for Magellan.”

Evolving through our experiences

Magellan’s team responds to more than  5,000 critical incidents annually. Our CISD program offers access to a network of 8,100+ masters-level clinicians with crisis intervention training. We intervene carefully and thoughtfully, listen, reassure and teach resiliency. We wish these services were never needed, but since they unfortunately are, we embrace them as times to learn, evolve and help others live healthy vibrant lives.

Satisfied customers

•   99% of clients said the CISD plan was easy  to arrange and done in a timely manner
•   98% of clients said the EAP counselor was professional, courteous and understood their needs In response to tragedies and detrimental weather events, Magellan sets up a 24-hour toll-free hotline for individuals to access, regardless of whether or not they are Magellan members.

The 24-hour crisis lines are staffed by behavioral health professionals who provide free, confidential consultation services and other resources, such as referrals to local non-profit organizations, shelters and additional community based support.

The following is an excerpt from the 2018 Magellan Community Impact Report.

Care is core to every service we deliver and everything we do. For Magellan, success is about so much more than profit or prestige. It’s about doing well by doing good. We’re always caring, listening, learning and using our collective insight to make a difference. When we care together, we turn hope into reality.

Caring and sharing our lived experiences

Wyoming’s High Fidelity Wraparound program is just one of many examples where Magellan team members, who have lived through similar experiences, are returning the care and concern they personally received.

High Fidelity Wraparound is a voluntary planning and care coordination process for children and youth (ages 4-20) with complex behavioral health conditions. High Fidelity Wraparound’s community based solutions and planning process bring people together from different areas of a family’s life to form a team. The team creates steps to help youth stay in their homes, schools and communities.

Through our partnership with the Wyoming Department of Health, Division of Healthcare Financing (Medicaid), Magellan serves as the Care Management Entity for the High Fidelity Wraparound program, setting the rules and providing training for everyone involved in the process.

The  Wiederspahn  family

When Magellan Care Worker Chassity Wiederspahn’s son began  to struggle behaviorally, mentally  and emotionally in first grade, she knew she needed assistance but was at a loss.  Through High Fidelity Wraparound, she was  able to build a team around her family to guide  them in their search for help. The High Fidelity  Wraparound program allowed them to build a strong  support system and learn the resources available in their  community. It gave them confidence that they could handle  the challenges that might lie ahead. As a graduate of High Fidelity Wraparound, Chassity shares her story with the families and providers  she speaks to on a daily basis.

Many of our Magellan team members have lived these  experiences. which enables them to bring a valuable  set of life skills to their daily jobs each and every day.  As employees, the job is more than just the tasks at hand, we  truly care and offer ourselves as role models of hope and success.

The Campbell family

Magellan’s Kathryn (Kat) Campbell, family support specialist, is the proud mother of four beautiful children, two of whom are adopted from Wyoming’s foster care system. Blending a family was an overwhelming process despite the research and preparation of a therapist team. The crash course in secondary trauma left Kat and her partner reeling.

The family was referred by the local crisis center to High Fidelity Wraparound. The process created a safe space for Kat’s entire family to focus on caring for themselves, and they started to feel the support of those around them who were waiting to help. High Fidelity Wraparound’s empowerment and team building strategy gave the family the skills to run their own team for the high needs their children had, long after the family graduated from the process. Kat now trains and mentors providers who work directly  with families like her own.

The following is an excerpt from the 2018 Magellan Community Impact Report.

Coming together for the win

Nowhere is our value of Win Together more apparent than when you see the smiling faces of our employees working together to help improve the communities we serve. Every year, Magellan employees, located throughout the country, voluntarily organize and participate in Magellan Cares community service activities. Magellan Health and the Magellan Cares Foundation also support our employees’ giving in two ways: paying for time off to volunteer and matching their financial gifts. And when times get tough, we help lift up one another through our eMbrace employee assistance fund. Fully funded by employees through payroll contributions, the eMbrace fund helps employees who are facing a personal financial hardship.

Volunteer Time Off (VTO)

• 2018 volunteer time spent: 17,000
• 2018 volunteer states served: 36
• 2018 volunteer impacted organizations: 560+

Matching Gifts

•  2018 matching funds total dollars: $69,398.77
•  2018 matching funds impacted organizations: 152
•  2018 employee donated matched: $25,416.54

eMbrace

•  2018 total gifts received: : $136,419
•  2018 Total distributions to employees: $144,770
• Total gifts received since 2012: $726,499

The Magellan Cares Foundation also provides grants to nonprofits or nonprofit organizations for initiatives that are aligned with our focus areas. Donations support national or large-scale health access and quality improvement initiatives; efforts that help improve the social supports around a quality healthcare system, such as access to housing, food, clothing or self improvement opportunities, and efforts to support America’s military service members, veterans and wounded warriors.

•  2018 total dollars granted: $560,000
• 2018 total impacted organizations: 130