According to the Kim Foundation, one out of four Americans experiences behavioral health issues. Of those, 60 percent are not receiving treatment.
Why are so many people not receiving treatment?
What does this mean for providers?
What more can be done to increase access to behavioral healthcare?
Learn more about this issue by downloading Magellan’s new infographic, “Mind the Gap: Increasing Access to Behavioral Healthcare.”
Opioid addiction has grown over the past fifteen years from a personal issue to a national emergency. A new infographic from Magellan Healthcare reveals the devastation that this epidemic is causing.
The opioid addiction crisis is causing such an unprecedented amount of harm precisely because it is such a complex, multi-faceted issue. Those looking for answers as to how such an epidemic could have happened, will need to examine a swath of individual problems, including:
New solutions are needed to tackle each of these individual issues. At Magellan Health, we intend to do precisely that. The opioid addiction crisis has already taken a huge toll and it grows worse every day. It is manifesting itself in myriad ways among thousands of communities across the nation. At Magellan Health, we have an unyielding commitment to ending this epidemic.
Magellan Health marked October as Substance Abuse Prevention Month, with its chief medical officer, Dr. Karen Amstutz, releasing the following statement:
“Substance abuse does not discriminate. It pays no mind to gender, race, age or income level. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the abuse of alcohol, tobacco and illicit drugs costs the United States more than $700 billion annually related to crime, lost work productivity and healthcare. Substance abuse, and in particular, our nation’s opioid epidemic, is gripping families and communities all across the country. Chances are, you know someone who is coping with substance abuse, though they might be doing so in silence.
“Magellan Health has worked in the field of behavioral health management for over 40 years, and we believe strongly that the treatment of substance abuse, including opioid misuse and addiction, is possible. Magellan Health advocates for medication assisted treatment (MAT), a well-researched and highly effective approach combining medication to treat the physical effects of opiate dependence, with counseling and recovery support services. Magellan Health is poised to support treatment professionals, legislators, third-party payers and patient advocates in the implementation of prevention efforts, best clinical practices, and elimination of potential barriers to treatment and recovery. Working together, it is important to shine a light on this dark epidemic and provide hope to people seeking to live a healthier, more vibrant life.
“If you or someone you know is dealing with substance, please call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Help Line at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). For Magellan’s resources related to substance abuse, please visit http://magellanhealthcare.com/opioids“
Magellan Health marked September as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, with Barry M. Smith, chairman and chief executive officer of Magellan Health, and Sam Srivastava, chief executive officer of Magellan Healthcare, releasing the following statement:
“Suicide produces a ripple effect through communities of friends, family, loved ones and co-workers, and its effects are devastating. There are people in our own communities, too, who have attempted suicide and may be coping with the after-effects of their decision, both physically and emotionally.
“Magellan Health has long believed that suicide should be a ‘never’ event, and that even one suicide is one too many.
“Consider these facts:
• Every 13 minutes, someone dies from suicide in the United States.
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death in the military, with roughly 20 veterans each day committing suicide.
• For each suicide, six other people are directly impacted.
• Ninety percent of individuals who die by suicide have experienced mental illness.
“During Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and always, we each have an obligation to extend a hand to individuals at risk, as well as to their families, and the five million survivors of suicide living among us.
“If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).”
Mosquitoes carrying the Zika virus have been identified in Florida, so it’s critical that individuals living in the affected region and across the country know where to go to access information about prevention, detection and treatment. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has put together a website with resources about Zika, including those specific to certain groups of people, including pregnant women, parents, travelers and employers and workers.
The impact of Zika in the United States is more than just physical. Many individuals, particularly those who live in a region where Zika has been found, may be experiencing anxiety or stress simply as a result of hearing about the disease from newspapers, television and on social media. SAMHSA has put together a tip sheet to help people cope with these feelings.
In their tip sheet, SAMHSA makes two important points:
With 24/7 news cycles and the prevalence on social media and online news sites, it’s critical to set boundaries around how often and where you get your news. SAMHSA or other government websites, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, offer an updated overview of the current situation.
If you feel you need additional assistance, please call SAMHSA’s Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 to access additional services in both English and Spanish.