Magellan to Offer SeniorConnect: Services for Medicaid 65 and Older Enrollees
On July 1, 2010, Magellan Behavioral Health of Iowa will start a new program to serve Medicaid Enrollees age 65 and older—a program that will, for the first time, provide this age group with access to appropriate Iowa Plan services and continuity of care during their life span.
Through the new program, known as SeniorConnect, Magellan of Iowa will adapt its current community-based services to address the needs of individuals age 65 and older. These services include assertive community treatment (ACT), home-based services, mobile counseling, peer support, intensive psychiatric rehabilitation and substance abuse residential treatment. New services also will be developed and tailored specifically to this age group.
Providing behavioral health treatment to individuals age 65 and older can present challenges for a number of reasons, as older adults:
- Often experience social isolation, depression, and suicidal thoughts, leading to a greater need for services—yet they access behavioral health services at lower rates than other age groups;
- Can have trouble accessing services, particularly in rural Iowa, due to limited transportation and/or limited availability of mental health and substance abuse services; and they
- Often have medical conditions that eclipse their behavioral health needs.
SeniorConnect addresses these unique challenges by offering a program that features educational outreach, access to specialized provider network resources, a team of professional staff and peer support specialists dedicated to improving the lives of older Iowans, a SeniorConnect information line and meaningful stakeholder input.
For more information about SeniorConnect, please contact George Dorsey at 1-800-638-8820, ext. 85277.