Molinalogo

09/30/2024

LOUISVILLE, Ky., September 30, 2024 – Passport by Molina Healthcare (“Passport”), in partnership with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (“NAMI”) Louisville, successfully trained  nearly 100 employees to see warning signs of mental or behavioral health crises and address immediate needs. The training, known as QPR for its core steps of “question, persuade, and refer” is an evidence-based suicide prevention intervention. QPR trains people to recognize individuals at risk of suicide and start conversations that help connect individuals to the care they need to support their mental wellness.

Passport employees have hundreds of interactions each week with members, on the phone and face to face. Equipped with QPR skills, employees can recognize signs that a member may be thinking about suicide. QPR skills allow staff to raise the topic in a gentle, non-threatening manner and when appropriate, connect the member to treatment services.   

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data show a continued increase in deaths by suicide in the United States. Suicide rates increased 37% from 2000-2018, decreased between 2019-2020, but rose again to peak levels in 2021 and 2022, the latest date for which data is available. Over 12 million people considered suicide in 2021. 

“Molina is committed to providing high-quality services to our members and this nationally recognized training helps us direct them to critical services when they need them most,” said Ryan Sadler, plan president for Passport by Molina Healthcare. “We are proud to partner with NAMI Louisville to ensure the Passport team is prepared to help those in need of behavioral health services.”  

“We were thrilled to partner with Passport by Molina in their effort to build an internal team who will be able to train staff internally and commend their efforts to build a culture of acceptance surrounding mental illness in their workplace and reduce the stigma around asking for help and resources,” said Nancy Brooks, executive director for NAMI Louisville. “Suicide continues to grow in our community especially in our younger population. NAMI Louisville is focused on providing regular and consistent QPR training to outpace this growth with education and by providing resources.” 

About Passport by Molina Healthcare 
Molina Healthcare of Kentucky, Inc., dba Passport by Molina Healthcare, provides government-funded, quality health care to low-income individuals, and works closely with local providers and community partners to improve health outcomes for members and the communities it serves. Passport by Molina Healthcare is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Molina Healthcare, Inc., a Fortune 500 company that provides managed health care services under the Medicaid and Medicare programs, and through state insurance marketplaces. For more information about Passport Health Plan by Molina Healthcare, visit PassportHealthPlan.com. 

About NAMI Louisville
NAMI Louisville is a grassroots nonprofit 501(c)(3), that has supported their community within Kentuckiana for over 44 years. Their mission is to strengthen families and individuals affected by mental illness through education, support, and advocacy. They provide free classes and support groups in addition to other services that include but are not limited to outreach efforts, their Stigma-Free program, Youth Advisory Council, NAMI Wellness Wheels, mental health training sessions, advocacy efforts, and overall community support.