Behavioral Health

DEPRESSION PREVENTION PROGRAMS:

Clinical depression is recognized as one of the major health concerns facing our nation. It has been demonstrated that 9.5 % of U.S. adults suffer from clinical depression. That's why WHA and Magellan (HAI-CA) collaborated on the development of depression prevention programs for WHA members. It is WHA's belief that these prevention programs will improve coordination of care between medical and behavioral health services, which can result in improved member health outcomes.

The depression prevention programs available to WHA members are:

• Post Partum Depression; and
• Depression Screening through Utilization Management and Disease Management Programs.

WHA routinely sends referrals for the above types of conditions to Magellan upon notification of a hospital admission or when referred through the Disease Management Programs.

Overall Goal:

The overall goal of the prevention programs is the early identification of members who are or may be at-risk for depression; to decrease the severity, length of illness and associated comorbidity through early treatment of a depressive disorder. Along with the early identification and treatment is the provision of education to help members understand about depression that may be common when a co-occurring medical condition exists.

Program Services:

The Prevention Programs provide outreach services conducted by a licensed behavioral healthcare Care Manager (CM). The program services include:

• Telephonic outreach to all referrals provided by WHA each month
• An initial assessment by the CM to ascertain current status and support systems
• A high-level depression screening
• Education on signs and symptoms of depression, when behavioral health services should be sought, and offers resources including educational materials, the website-based information and resources
• Information on the scope of services available from Magellan
• Access to a licensed behavioral health care professional on a 24/7 basis, as needed.

Depression Screening Tool:

The screening tool used is the Whooley questionnaire, which is a validated two-question screening tool that was compared favorably to other longer depression screens. Any "yes" answer to either of the two questions below constitutes a positive screen.

• During the past month, have you often been bothered by feeling down, depressed, or hopeless?

• During the past month, have you often been bothered by little interest or pleasure in doing things?

Educational tools:

• Condition-specific member education flyers
• On-line resources at magellanhealth.com/member

POST PARTUM DEPRESSION PREVENTION PROGRAM

The targeted population for this program is the newly delivered mother of a newborn enrolled with WHA.

Program Goal:

• Identification of new mothers who are positive for depression and appropriate referral for treatment of depressive disorders.
• Education of new mothers and healthcare providers on the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression with the expectation that the effects of maternal postpartum depression on the infant and family will be lessened.

DEPRESSION SCREENING THROUGH UTILIZATION MANAGEMENT (UM) & DISEASE MANAGEMENT (DM) PROGRAMS

This prevention program targets WHA members age 18 through 49 identified by the health plan through UM and DM activities. The population of this prevention program includes those adult members identified with a chronic medical condition (i.e. diabetes, asthma, cardiac issues, chronic pain, cancer, etc.).

Program Goal:

The goal of this program is the early identification, referral, and treatment of a depressive disorder and education about depression and medical illness in those patients identified with a co-occurring chronic or acute medical condition.

Sources used to identify potential candidates include:

• Disease management delegate: Screens members for depression through use of the Whooley Screening tool; participants screening positive are referred for BH services.
• Hospital admission notifications: Specific diagnosis and conditions are screened by WHA for potential candidates who may be at-risk for depression.
• On-line wellness programs: Based on a health assessment outcomes as reported by a member that indicates positive for depression and/or stress.

Member Contact Information

Note: The following contact information can also be found on the back of the member's ID card.

Magellan Behavioral Health Services
800.424.1778

Provider Contact Information

800.430.0535 Option 4

Magellan/Providers