MAGELLAN HEALTH SERVICES INC
S-3, 1997-01-24
HOSPITALS
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    As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on January 24, 1997
                                                  Registration No._____________
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                      ------------------------------------

                                    FORM S-3
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                      ------------------------------------

                         MAGELLAN HEALTH SERVICES, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
         Delaware                                            58-1076937
     (State or other jurisdiction of                         (I.R.S. Employer
      incorporation or organization)                         Identification No.)
                            3414 Peachtree Road, N.E.
                                   Suite 1400
                             Atlanta, Georgia 30326
                                 (404) 841-9200
                   (Address, including zip code, and telephone
                         number, including area code, of
                    registrant's principal executive offices)

                      ------------------------------------

                              STEVE J. DAVIS, ESQ.,
                EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES
                               AND GENERAL COUNSEL
                         Magellan Health Services, Inc.
                            3414 Peachtree Road, N.E.
                                   Suite 1400
                             Atlanta, Georgia 30326
                                 (404) 841-9200
                    (Name , address, including zip code, and
                        telephone number, including area
                           code, of agent for service)

                      ------------------------------------

                                    Copy to:
                   CRAIG L. MCKNIGHT, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
                           AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
                         Magellan Health Services, Inc.
                            3414 Peachtree Road, N.E.
                                   Suite 1400
                             Atlanta, Georgia 30326
                                 (404) 841-9200
                      ------------------------------------

                  Approximate date of commencement of proposed
                   sale to public: From time to time after the
                  effective date of the Registration Statement.

                      ------------------------------------


If the only securities  being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant
to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. [ ]

If any of the  securities  being  registered on this form are to be offered on a
delayed or continuous  basis  pursuant to Rule 415 under the  Securities  Act of
1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest
reinvestment plans, check the following box. [X]

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant
to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list
the  Securities  Act  registration  statement  number of the  earlier  effective
registration statement for the same offering. [ ]

If this Form is a  post-effective  amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under
the  Securities  Act,  check  the  following  box and  list the  Securities  Act
registration  statement number of the earlier effective  registration  statement
for the same offering. [ ]

If the delivery of the  prospectus  is expected to be made pursuant to Rule 434,
please check the following box. [ ]

         The Registrant hereby amends this  Registration  Statement on such date
or dates as may be necessary to delay its  effective  date until the  Registrant
shall file a further amendment which specifically  states that this Registration
Statement shall  thereafter  become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of
the  Securities  Act of 1933 or until the  Registration  Statement  shall become
effective on such date as the Commission,  acting pursuant to said Section 8(a),
may determine.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------




<PAGE>





                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                 Proposed       Proposed
 Title of                        maximum        maximum
  Shares           Amount        offering       aggregate     Amount of
  to be            to be          price         offering     registration
registered (1)    registered     per Unit (2)   price (2)        fee
- --------------    ----------     ------------   ---------    -----------
<S>               <C>            <C>            <C>          <C>
Common Stock,
$.25 par value
per share ....    2,000,000      $22.25         $44,500,000  $13,484.85

</TABLE>

(1)      This Registration Statement also covers an equal number of Common Stock
         purchase rights issuable  pursuant to Magellan  Health  Services,  Inc.
         Share Purchase Rights Plan, which rights will be transferable only with
         related shares of Common Stock.

(2)      Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the  registration  fee.
         In  accordance  with Rule 457(c) under the  Securities  Act of 1933, as
         amended,  such  amounts  are based on the  average  of the high and low
         prices per share of Common Stock of Magellan Health  Services,  Inc. on
         January 17, 1997, as reported on the New York Stock Exchange.

                      ------------------------------------





<PAGE>



PROSPECTUS
                                2,000,000 SHARES

                         MAGELLAN HEALTH SERVICES, INC.

                                  COMMON STOCK
                                ($.25 Par Value)

                      ------------------------------------


         The 2,000,000 shares (the "Warrant  Shares") of common stock,  $.25 par
value ("Common  Stock"),  of Magellan Health Services,  Inc.  ("Magellan" or the
"Company"),  that are being hereby  registered may be offered for sale from time
to time by and  for  the  account  of  Rainwater-Magellan  Holdings,  L.P.  (the
"Selling  Stockholder").  See  "Selling  Stockholder."  The Selling  Stockholder
obtained the right to purchase the Warrant Shares at $26.15 per share on January
25, 1996 upon the exercise of a Warrant (the  "Warrant")  issued pursuant to the
Stock and  Warrant  Purchase  Agreement  (as  hereinafter  defined) in a private
placement  transaction with the Company. The Selling Stockholder  currently owns
4,000,000  shares (the  "Shares") of Common Stock that were  acquired on January
25, 1996 pursuant to a Stock and Warrant Purchase  Agreement.  Magellan will not
receive any of the proceeds  from the sale of the Warrant  Shares by the Selling
Stockholder.

         Magellan is  registering  the Warrant Shares as required by a Stock and
Warrant Purchase Agreement dated December 22, 1995, as amended, between Magellan
and the  Selling  Stockholder  (the  "Stock and  Warrant  Purchase  Agreement").
Magellan  has  also  agreed  to pay  all  fees  and  expenses  incident  to such
registration,  other than any underwriting  discounts or any selling commissions
payable  in respect of sales of the  Warrant  Shares,  which will be paid by the
Selling  Stockholder.  It is estimated that the fees and expenses payable by the
Company in  connection  with the  registration  of the  Warrant  Shares  will be
approximately  $40,000.  Magellan has agreed to keep the Registration  Statement
(as hereinafter  defined) current and effective with certain  exceptions as long
as the Selling  Stockholder and its affiliates  collectively own at least 25% of
the Shares and the Warrant Shares. See "Plan of Distribution."

         The  Common  Stock is listed on the New York Stock  Exchange  under the
symbol  "MGL." On January 23, 1997,  the last  reported sale price of the Common
Stock on the New York Stock Exchange was $22.875 per share.

         The  Selling  Stockholder  from  time to time  may  offer  and sell the
Warrant  Shares  directly or through  agents or  broker-dealers  on the New York
Stock  Exchange or  otherwise  on prices and terms  related to the then  current
market price or in privately  negotiated  transactions.  To the extent required,
the names of any agent or broker-dealer and applicable  commissions or discounts
and any other required  information with respect to any particular offer will be
set forth in an accompanying Prospectus Supplement.  See "Plan of Distribution."
The Selling Stockholder reserves the sole right to accept or reject, in whole or
in part,  any  proposed  purchase of the Warrant  Shares to be made  directly or
through agents.

         Certain  transfer  restrictions  have been placed on the Warrant Shares
pursuant to the Stock and Warrant Purchase Agreement. Prior to January 25, 2000,
the  Selling  Stockholder  or its  affiliates  may  not  sell or  transfer  in a
privately  negotiated  transaction to a single purchaser and its affiliates,  or
any "group" (as defined in Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended) any Shares and Warrant  Shares which would,  in the aggregate,
equal or exceed five  percent  (5%) of the Common  Stock then  outstanding  on a
fully-diluted  basis. This restriction does not affect the transfer of Shares or
Warrant Shares between the Selling Stockholder and its affiliates.

         The  Selling   Stockholder  and  any  agents  or  broker-dealers   that
participate  with the Selling  Stockholder  in the  distribution  of the Warrant
Shares may be deemed to be  "underwriters"  within the meaning of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"),  and any commissions  received by them
and  any  profit  on the  resale  of the  Warrant  Shares  may be  deemed  to be
underwriting  commissions  or  discounts  under  the  1933  Act.  See  "Plan  of
Distribution"  herein for  indemnification  arrangements  among Magellan and the
Selling Stockholder.

     THERE ARE CERTAIN RISKS  ASSOCIATED  WITH AN INVESTMENT IN MAGELLAN  COMMON
STOCK. FOR A DISCUSSION OF SUCH RISKS, SEE "RISK FACTORS" BEGINNING ON PAGE 3.

         THESE   SECURITIES  HAVE  NOT  BEEN  APPROVED  OR  DISAPPROVED  BY  THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE  COMMISSION OR ANY STATE  SECURITIES  COMMISSION NOR HAS
THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION PASSED
UPON THE  ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS  PROSPECTUS.  ANY  REPRESENTATION  TO THE
CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE.

                    The Date of this Prospectus is January ,1997.
                                     

                                        1

<PAGE>



                              AVAILABLE INFORMATION

         Magellan is subject to the  informational  requirements of the Exchange
Act and, accordingly, files reports, proxy statements and other information with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission").  Such reports,  proxy
statements  and other  information  filed with the Commission by Magellan can be
inspected  and copied at the office of the  Commission  at Room 1024,  450 Fifth
Street,  N.W.,  Washington,  D.C. 20549, or at its Regional Offices located at 7
World Trade Center,  Suite 1300, New York, New York 10048,  and 500 West Madison
Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60661, and copies of such materials can be
obtained  from the  Public  Reference  Section  of the  Commission  at 450 Fifth
Street,  N.W.,  Washington,  D.C. 20549, at prescribed  rates. In addition,  the
Common  Stock of  Magellan  is listed on the New York Stock  Exchange,  and such
reports,  proxy  statements  and other  information  concerning  Magellan can be
inspected at the offices of the New York Stock  Exchange,  20 Broad Street,  New
York, New York 10005.

         Magellan has filed with the Commission a Registration Statement on Form
S-3 (together with any amendments,  the "Registration Statement") under the 1933
Act, covering the shares of Common Stock being offered by this Prospectus.  This
Prospectus, which is part of the Registration Statement, does not contain all of
the information and  undertakings  set forth in the  Registration  Statement and
reference is made to such Registration Statement,  including exhibits, which may
be inspected and copied in the manner and at the locations  specified above, for
further  information  with respect to Magellan and the Common Stock.  Statements
contained in this Prospectus  concerning the provisions of any documents are not
necessarily  complete  and, in each  instance,  reference is made to the copy of
such documents  filed as an exhibit to the  Registration  Statement or otherwise
filed with the  Commission.  Each such statement is qualified in its entirety by
such reference.

                 INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The  following  documents  previously  filed  with  the  Commission  by
Magellan  (Commission  File No. 1-6639) are  incorporated by reference into this
Prospectus:

         (i)      Magellan's  Annual  Report  on Form 10-K for the  fiscal  year
                  ended  September  30, 1996, on Form 10-K filed on December 23,
                  1996;

         (ii)     The description of the Common Stock in Magellan's registration
                  statement on Form 8-A filed on December 27, 1996.

         In  addition,  all  documents  filed by  Magellan  pursuant to Sections
13(a),  13(c),  14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act  subsequent  to the date of this
Prospectus  and prior to the  termination  of the offering  made pursuant to the
Registration  Statement shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into and
to be a part of this Prospectus  from the date of filing of such documents.  Any
statement  contained in a document so  incorporated by reference shall be deemed
to be modified or superseded for purposes of this  Prospectus to the extent that
a statement  contained in this Prospectus,  or in any other  subsequently  filed
document which is also  incorporated  by reference,  modifies or supersedes such
statement.  Any such statement so modified or superseded  shall not be deemed to
constitute a part of this Prospectus except as so modified or superseded.

         Magellan  will  provide,  without  charge,  to each person to whom this
Prospectus is delivered,  upon the written or oral request of any such person, a
copy of any or all of the documents  incorporated  by reference  (not  including
exhibits to such documents unless such exhibits are specifically incorporated by
reference in such  documents).  Requests for copies of such documents  should be
directed  to Mr.  Kevin  Helmintoller,  Senior  Director -  Investor  Relations,
Magellan Health Services,  Inc., 3414 Peachtree Road, N.E., Suite 1400, Atlanta,
Georgia 30326,  telephone (404) 841- 9200.  These documents may also be accessed
from the Commission's Internet site which is located at www.sec.gov.








                                        2

<PAGE>



                                  RISK FACTORS

         In addition to the other information in this Prospectus,  the following
factors  should be  considered  carefully in  evaluating  an  investment  in the
Magellan Common Stock.

Acquisition Growth Strategy

         The Company has historically grown through  acquisitions.  There can be
no assurance that the Company will be able to make  successful  acquisitions  in
the future or that any such  acquisitions  will be successfully  integrated into
its operations.  In addition,  future  acquisitions could have an adverse effect
upon the  Company's  operating  results,  particularly  in the  fiscal  quarters
immediately  following the consummation of such transactions  while the acquired
operations are being integrated into its operations.

Green Spring Health Services, Inc. Acquisition and Potential Adverse Reaction

         On December 13, 1995,  the Company  acquired a controlling  interest in
Green Spring Health  Services,  Inc.  ("Green  Spring"),  a leading  provider of
managed behavioral  healthcare services.  The Company's hospitals have contracts
with  behavioral  managed care  companies  other than Green  Spring.  Such other
companies could decide to terminate their contracts with the Company's hospitals
in reaction to the Company's  acquisition of a majority interest in one of their
major competitors.

Historical Operating Losses

         The  Company  experienced  losses  from  continuing  operations  before
reorganization items,  extraordinary items and the cumulative effect of a change
in accounting principle in each fiscal year since the completion of a management
buyout in 1988 through  fiscal 1995.  Such losses  amounted to $81.7 million for
the ten-month  period ended July 31, 1992, $8.1 million for the two-month period
ended September 30, 1992 and $39.6 million,  $47.0 million and $43.0 million for
the fiscal years ended  September  30, 1993,  1994 and 1995,  respectively.  The
Company reported net revenue and net income of  approximately  $1.35 billion and
$32.4 million, respectively, for the fiscal year ended September 30, 1996. There
can be no  assurance  that  the  Company's  profitability  for  the  year  ended
September 30, 1996 will  continue in future  periods.  The Company's  history of
losses could have an adverse effect on its operations.

Potential Hospital Closures

         The Company  continually  assesses events and changes in  circumstances
that could affect its  business  strategy  and the  viability  of its  operating
facilities.  During fiscal 1996, the Company  consolidated,  closed or sold nine
psychiatric  hospitals.  The  Company  recorded  charges of  approximately  $4.1
million  for  the  year  ended   September   30,  1996  as  a  result  of  these
consolidations,  closures  and  sales.  The  Company  may  elect to  consolidate
services  in  selected  markets and to close or sell  additional  facilities  in
future periods depending on market conditions and evolving business  strategies.
If the Company closes  additional  psychiatric  hospitals in future periods,  it
could  result in charges to income for the cost  necessary  to exit the hospital
operations.



                                        3

<PAGE>



Potential Reductions in Reimbursement by
Third-Party Payers and Changes in Hospital Payor Mix

         The  Company's  hospitals  have  been  adversely  affected  by  factors
influencing the entire psychiatric  hospital industry.  Factors which affect the
Company  include  (i)  the  imposition  of more  stringent  length  of stay  and
admission  criteria  and other cost  containment  measures  by payers;  (ii) the
failure of reimbursement  rate increases from certain payers that reimburse on a
per diem or other  discounted basis to offset increases in the cost of providing
services;  (iii) an increase in the  percentage of its business that the Company
derives from payers that reimburse on a per diem or other discounted basis; (iv)
a trend toward higher deductibles and co-insurance for individual patients;  (v)
pricing  pressure  related to increasing  rate of claims  denials by third party
payers;  and (vi) a trend toward  limiting  employee  health  benefits,  such as
reductions in annual and lifetime limits on mental health coverage. Any of these
factors could result in  reductions in the amounts that the Company's  hospitals
can expect to collect per patient day for services provided.

         For the fiscal year ended  September  30,  1996,  the  Company  derived
approximately 21% of its gross psychiatric  patient service revenue from managed
care organizations  (primarily HMOs and PPOs, as hereinafter defined),  25% from
other private payers (primarily  commercial  insurance and Blue Cross), 28% from
Medicare, 17% from Medicaid, 3% from the Civilian Health and Medical Program for
the  Uniformed  Services  ("CHAMPUS")  and 6% from  other  government  programs.
Changes  in  the  mix  of  the  Company's   patients   among  the  managed  care
organizations,  Medicare and Medicaid  categories,  and among different types of
private-pay sources, can significantly affect the profitability of the Company's
hospital  operations.  Therefore,  there can be no assurance that payments under
governmental  and  private  third-party  payer  programs  will  remain at levels
comparable to present levels or will, in the future,  be sufficient to cover the
costs of providing care to patients covered by such programs.

Previous Bankruptcy Reorganization

         The Company was reorganized pursuant to Chapter 11 of the United States
Bankruptcy Code, effective on July 21, 1992 (the "Reorganization"). Prior to the
Reorganization,  the Company's total indebtedness was approximately $1.8 billion
and from  February  1991  until  July 1992,  the  Company  was in default in the
payment  of  interest  and  principal,   or  both,  on  substantially  all  such
indebtedness.  The indebtedness was incurred by the Company in connection with a
management buy-out of the Company in 1988 and a  hospital-construction  program.
As a result of the  Reorganization,  the Company's long-term debt was reduced by
approximately  $700 million and its redeemable  preferred  stock of $233 million
was  eliminated.   The  holders  of  such  debt  and  preferred  stock  received
approximately 97% of Magellan's Common Stock outstanding on July 21, 1992.

Governmental Budgetary Constraints and Healthcare Reform

         In the 1995 and 1996 sessions of the United States Congress,  the focus
of healthcare  legislation has been on budgetary and related  funding  mechanism
issues. Both the Congress and the Clinton  Administration have made proposals to
reduce the rate of increase in projected Medicare and Medicaid  expenditures and
to change funding  mechanisms  and other aspects of both  programs.  If enacted,
these proposals would generally reduce Medicare and Medicaid  expenditures.  The
Company cannot predict the effect of any such  legislation,  if adopted,  on its
operations;  but the Company  anticipates  that,  although  overall Medicare and
Medicaid  funding  may be reduced  from  projected  levels,  the changes in such
programs may provide  opportunities to the Company to obtain increased  Medicare
and Medicaid  business through  risk-sharing or partial  risk-sharing  contracts
with managed care plans and state Medicaid programs.

         A number of states in which the  Company  has  operations  have  either
adopted or are  considering  the  adoption of  healthcare  reform  proposals  of
general  applicability  or  Medicaid  reform  proposals,  partly in  response to
possible  changes in Medicaid law. Where  adopted,  these state reform laws have
often not yet been fully  implemented.  The Company cannot predict the effect of
these state healthcare reform and Medicaid reform laws on its operations.

Provider Business-Competition

         Each of the Company's hospitals competes with other hospitals,  some of
which are larger and have greater financial resources.  Some competing hospitals
are owned and operated by governmental agencies, others by nonprofit

                                        4

<PAGE>



organizations supported by endowments and charitable contributions and others by
proprietary  hospital  corporations.  The Company's  hospitals  frequently  draw
patients from areas outside their immediate locale and, therefore, the Company's
hospitals  may,  in  certain  markets,  compete  with  both  local  and  distant
hospitals.  In addition,  the  Company's  hospitals  compete not only with other
psychiatric hospitals, but also with psychiatric units in general hospitals, and
outpatient  services provided by the Company may compete with private practicing
mental health  professionals  and publicly  funded mental  health  centers.  The
competitive  position of a hospital is, to a significant degree,  dependent upon
the number and quality of  physicians  who  practice at the hospital and who are
members of its  medical  staff.  The  Company  has  entered  into joint  venture
arrangements with other healthcare  providers in certain markets to promote more
efficiency in the local delivery system.  The Company believes that its provider
business  competes  effectively  with  respect to the factors  described  above.
However,  there  can be no  assurance  that  Magellan  will be  able to  compete
successfully in the provider business in the future.

         Competition among hospitals and other healthcare providers for patients
has intensified in recent years.  During this period,  hospital  occupancy rates
for inpatient  behavioral  care patients in the United States have declined as a
result  of  cost  containment   pressures,   changing  technology,   changes  in
reimbursement,  changes  in  practice  patterns  from  inpatient  to  outpatient
treatment  and other  factors.  In recent  years,  the  competitive  position of
hospitals has been affected by the ability of such hospitals to obtain contracts
with   Preferred   Provider   Organizations   ("PPO's"),    Health   Maintenance
Organizations ("HMO's") and other managed care programs to provide inpatient and
other services.  Such contracts  normally involve a discount from the hospital's
established  charges,  but provide a base of patient referrals.  These contracts
also  frequently  provide for  pre-admission  certification  and for  concurrent
length of stay reviews.  The importance of obtaining contracts with HMO's, PPO's
and other managed care companies varies from market to market,  depending on the
individual  market  strength of the managed care  companies.  In certain states,
state  certificate  of need laws  place  limitations  on the  Company's  and its
competitors' ability to build new hospitals and to expand existing hospitals and
services.  These laws do provide  some  protection  from  competition,  as their
interest is to prevent  duplication  of services.  As of December 31, 1996,  the
Company  operated 39  hospitals  in 12 states  (Arizona,  Arkansas,  California,
Colorado,  Indiana, Kansas,  Louisiana,  Nevada, New Mexico, South Dakota, Texas
and Utah) which do not have certificate of need laws applicable to hospitals.

Managed Care Business - Competition

         The managed  healthcare  industry is being affected by various external
factors including rising healthcare costs, intense price competition, and market
consolidation by major managed care companies. Magellan faces competition from a
number of sources  including other behavioral  health managed care companies and
traditional  full  service  managed  care  companies  that  contract  to provide
behavioral  healthcare  benefits.  Also, to a lesser extent,  competition exists
from fully  capitated  multi-specialty  medical groups and  individual  practice
associations  that  directly  contract  with  managed care  companies  and other
customers to provide and manage all  components of healthcare  for their members
including the behavioral  healthcare  component.  The Company  believes that the
most  significant  factors in a  customer's  selection  of a managed  behavioral
healthcare  company include price, the extent and depth of provider networks and
quality of services.  The Company also  believes that the  acquisition  of Green
Spring  creates  opportunities  to enhance its  revenues  through  managed  care
contracts  utilizing the continuum of care and through  information systems that
support  care  management  and  at-risk  pricing  mechanisms,  although  no such
assurance  can be given.  Management  believes  that its managed  care  business
competes  effectively  with respect to these factors.  However,  there can be no
assurance that Magellan will be able to compete successfully in the managed care
business in the future.

Limitations Imposed by the Credit Agreement
and Senior Note Indenture

         In May 1994,  the Company  entered  into a Second  Amended and Restated
Credit Agreement (the "Credit  Agreement") with certain  financial  institutions
and issued $375 million of Senior  Subordinated  Notes (the  "Senior  Notes") to
institutional  investors. In October 1996, the Company entered into a new Credit
Agreement with certain  financial  institutions  for a five-year  senior secured
reducing  revolving  credit  facility in an aggregate  committed  amount of $400
million  (the  "New  Revolving  Credit  Agreement").  The New  Revolving  Credit
Agreement and the indenture for the Senior Notes contain a number of restrictive
covenants  which,  among  other  things,  limit the  ability of the  Company and
certain of its subsidiaries to incur other  indebtedness,  repurchase issued and
outstanding Common Stock, enter into certain joint venture  transactions,  incur
liens, make certain restricted payments and investments and enter into

                                        5

<PAGE>



certain business  combination and asset sale  transactions.  These  restrictions
could adversely affect the Company's ability to conduct its operations,  finance
its  capital  needs or to  pursue  attractive  business  combinations  and joint
ventures if such opportunities  arise. Under the New Revolving Credit Agreement,
the Company also is required to maintain  certain  specified  financial  ratios.
Failure by the Company to maintain such  financial  ratios or to comply with the
restrictions  contained in the Credit Agreement and the indenture for the Senior
Notes  could  cause  such  indebtedness  (and by  reason  of  cross-acceleration
provisions,  other  indebtedness)  to become  immediately due and payable and/or
could cause the cessation of funding under the Credit Agreement.

Regulatory Environment

         The federal  government  and all states in which the  Company  operates
regulate various aspects of the Company's  businesses.  Such regulations provide
for periodic  inspections or other reviews of the Company's provider  operations
by, among others,  state  agencies,  the United States  Department of Health and
Human Services (the "Department") and CHAMPUS to determine compliance with their
respective  standards of care and other  applicable  conditions of participation
which is necessary  for  continued  licensure  or  participation  in  identified
healthcare  programs,  including,  but not limited to,  Medicare,  Medicaid  and
CHAMPUS. The Company is also subject to state regulation regarding the admission
and treatment of patients and federal regulations  regarding  confidentiality of
medical records of substance abuse patients.  Although the Company  endeavors to
comply with such  regulatory  requirements,  there can be no assurance  that the
Company  will always be in full  compliance.  The failure to obtain or renew any
required   regulatory   approvals  or  licenses  or  to  qualify  for  continued
participation  in identified  healthcare  programs  could  adversely  affect the
Company's operations.

         The  Company  is also  subject to  federal  and state laws that  govern
financial and other arrangements between healthcare providers.  These laws often
prohibit certain direct and indirect payments between healthcare  providers that
are  designed  to induce  overutilization  of  services  paid for by Medicare or
Medicaid.  Such  laws  include  the anti-  kickback  provisions  of the  federal
Medicare  and  Medicaid  Patients  and  Program  Protection  Act of 1987.  These
provisions  prohibit,  among other things, the offer,  payment,  solicitation or
receipt of any form of  remuneration  in return for the referral of Medicare and
Medicaid  patients.  GPA,  a  subsidiary  of Green  Spring  that owns or manages
professional  group  practices,  is subject to the federal and the state illegal
remuneration,  practice of medicine  and certain  other laws which  prohibit the
subsidiary from owning, but not managing,  professional  practices. In addition,
some states prohibit business corporations from providing, or holding themselves
out as a provider of,  medical  care.  The Company  endeavors to comply with all
federal and state laws applicable to its business. However, a violation of these
federal and state laws may result in civil or criminal penalties for individuals
or entities or exclusion from participation in identified healthcare programs.

         Magellan's  managed  care  business  operations,  in some  states,  are
subject  to  utilization   review,   licensure  and  related  state   regulation
procedures.  Green Spring provides  managed  behavioral  healthcare  services to
various Blue Cross/Blue  Shield plans that operate  Medicare and Medicaid health
maintenance  organizations  or other  at-risk  managed  care  programs  and that
participate in the Blue Cross Federal Employees health program.  As a contractor
to these Blue  Cross/Blue  Shield plans,  Green Spring is indirectly  subject to
federal  and,  with  respect  to the  Medicaid  program,  state  monitoring  and
regulation  of  performance  and  financial  reporting  requirements.   Although
Magellan  believes that it is in  compliance  with all current state and federal
regulatory  requirements  applicable  to the managed care  business it conducts,
failure to do so could adversely affect its operations.

         Physician  ownership of or investment  in healthcare  entities to which
they refer patients has come under increasing scrutiny at both state and federal
levels.  Congress passed  legislation  (commonly referred to as "Stark I") which
prohibits  physicians from referring  Medicare patients for clinical  laboratory
services to an entity with which the physician has a financial relationship. The
Department  published final Stark I regulations on August 14, 1995, which govern
how  the   Department   views  and  reviews   these   financial   relationships.
Additionally,  Congress passed legislation  (commonly referred to as "Stark II")
which  prohibits  physicians  from referring  Medicare or Medicaid  patients for
certain designated health services,  including inpatient and outpatient hospital
services,  to entities in which they have an ownership or investment interest or
with which they have a compensation  arrangement.  The entity is also prohibited
from  billing the  Medicare  or Medicaid  programs  for such  services  rendered
pursuant  to a  prohibited  referral.  To the  extent  designated  services  are
provided by the Company's  provider and managed care operations,  physicians who
have a financial  relationship  with the Company and the Company will be subject
to the provisions of Stark II. Some states

                                        6

<PAGE>



have passed  similar  legislation  which  prohibits  the referral of private pay
patients.  To date,  the  Department  has not  published  Stark II  regulations.
However, the Department indicated that it will review referrals involving any of
the designated  services under the language and interpretations set forth in the
Stark I rule.

         The  Company's  acquisitions  and  joint  venture  activities  are also
subject to federal antitrust laws. The healthcare  industry has recently been an
active area of antitrust  enforcement  action by the United States Federal Trade
Commission  (the "FTC") and the  Department  of Justice  ("DOJ").  The Company's
acquisitions and joint venture  arrangements could be the subject of a DOJ or an
FTC enforcement action which, if determined adversely to the Company, could have
a material adverse effect upon the Company's operations.

         Changes in laws or regulations or new  interpretations of existing laws
or regulations  can have an adverse effect on the Company's  operating  methods,
costs,  reimbursement  amounts and acquisition and joint venture activities.  In
addition,  the  healthcare  industry  is  subject  to  increasing   governmental
scrutiny, and additional laws and regulations may be enacted which could require
changes in the  Company's  operations.  A federal or state  agency  charged with
enforcement of such laws and regulations  might assert an interpretation of such
laws and  resolutions  or may increase  scrutiny of a previously  ignored  area,
which may require changes in the Company's operations.

Dependence on Healthcare Professionals

         Physicians  traditionally have been the source of a significant portion
of the patients treated at the Company's  hospitals.  Therefore,  the success of
the  Company's  hospitals  is dependent in part on the number and quality of the
physicians on the medical staffs of its hospitals and their admission practices.
A small  number of  physicians  account  for a  significant  portion  of patient
admissions at some of the Company's  hospitals.  There can be no assurance  that
the  Company  can  retain its  current  physicians  on staff or that  additional
physician relationships will be developed in the future.  Furthermore,  hospital
physicians  generally are not  employees of the Company and in general  Magellan
does not have contractual  arrangements with hospital physicians restricting the
ability of such physicians to practice elsewhere.

Potential General and Professional Liability

         Effective June 1, 1995, Plymouth Insurance Company, Ltd.  ("Plymouth"),
a wholly-owned Bermuda subsidiary of the Company,  provides general and hospital
professional  liability  insurance of up to $25 million per  occurrence  for the
Company's hospitals.  All of the risk of losses from $1.5 million to $25 million
per occurrence has been reinsured with unaffiliated  insurers.  The Company also
insures  with an  unaffiliated  insurer  100% of the risk of losses  between $25
million and $100 million per occurrence, subject to an annual aggregate limit of
$75  million.  The  Company's  general and  professional  liability  coverage is
written on a "claims made or circumstances reported" basis. For reinsured claims
between $10 and $25 million per occurrence,  the Company has an annual aggregate
limit of coverage of $30 million.  For reinsured claims between $1.5 million and
$10 million per  occurrence,  the Company has no significant  limitations on the
aggregate dollar amounts of coverage.

         For the six years from June 1, 1989 through May 31,  1995,  the Company
had a similar general and hospital professional liability insurance program. For
those years,  the per occurrence  deductible  (with respect to which the Company
was self-insured) was $2.5 million for the years ended May 31, 1990 and 1991, $2
million for the years ended May 31, 1992 and 1993 and $1.5 million  (relating to
the Company's  general  hospitals sold on September 30, 1993) for the year ended
May 31, 1994. For psychiatric  hospitals,  Plymouth's coverage did not contain a
per occurrence deductible for the years ended May 31, 1994 and 1995. In December
1994,  the per  occurrence  deductible for the years ended May 31, 1989 and 1990
was eliminated. Plymouth provides coverage with no per occurrence deductible for
hospital  system  claims  which had not been paid prior to  December  31,  1994.
Plymouth does not underwrite any insurance  policies with any parties other than
the Company or its affiliates and subsidiaries.

         The amount of expense relating to Magellan's  malpractice insurance may
materially increase or decrease from year to year depending, among other things,
on the nature and number of new reported claims against  Magellan and amounts of
settlements of previously reported claims. To date, Magellan has not experienced
a loss in excess of policy limits.  Management believes that its coverage limits
are adequate.  However,  losses in excess of the limits  described  above or for
which insurance is otherwise  unavailable  could have a material  adverse effect
upon the Company.

                                        7

<PAGE>



Potential Expiration and Realization Uncertainties Related
to Estimated Tax Net Operating Loss Carryforwards

         As of September  30, 1996,  the Company had estimated tax net operating
loss ('NOL")  carryforwards  of approximately  $250 million  available to reduce
future federal taxable income.  These NOL  carryforwards  expire in 2006 through
2010 and are subject to  adjustment  upon  examination  by the Internal  Revenue
Service.  Due  to  the  ownership  change  which  occurred  as a  result  of the
Reorganization,  the  Company's  utilization  of  NOLs  generated  prior  to the
effective date of the  Reorganization  is limited.  Based on this limitation and
certain  other  factors,  the Company  has  recorded a  valuation  allowance  of
approximately  $102.2  million  against the amount of the NOL deferred tax asset
that in  Management's  opinion,  is not likely to be recovered.  There can be no
assurance that these NOL  carryforwards  will not expire,  be reduced or be made
subject to further  limitations  prior to their potential  utilization in future
periods.

Capitation Arrangements

         The Company's  managed care business  contracts with companies  holding
state HMO or insurance  company licenses on a capitated or "at-risk" basis where
the risk of patient care is assumed by the Company in exchange for a monthly fee
per  member  regardless  of  utilization   level.  As  of  September  30,  1996,
approximately  30% of Green Spring's  managed care members were under  capitated
arrangements.  During fiscal 1996,  approximately 70% of Green Spring's revenues
were from at-risk  contracts.  Increases in utilization  levels under  capitated
contractual  arrangements  could adversely  effect the operations of the managed
care business.

         Some jurisdictions are taking the position that capitated agreements in
which the provider bears the risk should be regulated by insurance laws. In this
regard, Green Spring's primary customers are comprised of Blue Cross/Blue Shield
Plans and other insurance entities which are licensed insurance organizations in
their respective states.  Green Spring offers "carved out" managed mental health
benefits,  on a  wholesale  basis,  as  a  vendor  to  the  regulated  insurance
organizations.  Most current  employer group  relationships  are also contracted
through the respective regulated insurance  organizations.  However, as Magellan
and Green  Spring  develop  more  direct  risk  arrangements  on a retail  basis
directly with  employer  groups or other  non-insurance  entity  customers,  the
Company may be required to obtain  insurance  licenses in the respective  states
where the direct risk arrangements are to be pursued.  There can be no assurance
that the Company can obtain the insurance  licenses  required by the  respective
states in a timely or cost effective manner to respond to market demand.

Mental Health Parity Legislation

         In October 1996,  President Clinton signed a bill submitted by the U.S.
Congress  that  prohibits  health plans from setting  annual or lifetime caps on
mental  health  coverage  ("parity")  at  levels  below  those  set for  general
medical/surgical healthcare services. The bill does not require a health plan to
offer or provide  mental  health  services  and does not affect  other terms and
conditions of health plans,  such as inpatient day or outpatient visit limits or
scope of benefits, nor does this bill prohibit health plans from utilizing other
forms of cost containment.  The definition of mental health services in the bill
excludes  substance  abuse and chemical  dependency.  The effective date for the
parity  legislation  is  January  1, 1998.  Other key  components  of the parity
legislation are as follows:

1)   Employers   with  50  or  fewer   employees  are  exempt  from  the  parity
     legislation.

2)   Health  plans that incur  increased  costs of 1% or more as a result of the
     parity legislation will be exempt.

3)   The parity  legislation  expires on September  30, 2001 unless  extended by
     Congress.

         The Company views the parity  legislation as an  acknowledgment  by the
Federal  government of the  importance  of effective  treatment of mental health
disorders for society in general.  The parity  legislation  could result in cost
containment  mechanisms by third party payers such as the  elimination of mental
health   benefit  plans  or   encouraging   the   utilization  of  managed  care
organizations to administer mental health benefit plans, which could both result
in lower demand and lower  revenue per  equivalent  patient day in the Company's
provider business.  However, this bill is subject to administrative and judicial
interpretation, neither of which the Company is able to predict. There can be no
assurance  that such  interpretations  will not  adversely  effect the Company's
business.

                                        8

<PAGE>



Shares Eligible for Future Sale

         Upon  completion of this offering,  the Warrant Shares will be eligible
for sale in the  open  market  without  restriction.  In  addition,  the  Shares
(4,000,000)  held by the Selling  Stockholder  are elibible for sale in the open
market after  January 25, 1997,  without  restriction.  In  connection  with the
acquisition of a majority  interest in Green Spring,  the remaining Green Spring
stockholders,  consisting of four Blue  Cross/Blue  Shield plans (the  "Minority
Stockholders") have the option, under certain  circumstances,  to exchange their
ownership  interests in Green Spring for up to 2,831,739 shares of the Company's
Common Stock or $65.1 million in the Company's subordinated notes (the "Exchange
Option").  Assuming exercise by all of the Minority Stockholders of the Exchange
Option for Common  Stock,  all  2,831,739  shares of Common Stock  issuable upon
exercise of the  Exchange  Option  will be eligible  for sale in the open market
without restriction. As of December 31, 1996, the Company's officers,  directors
and employees held options for the purchase of 3,226,490  shares of Common Stock
(1,203,210  of which are vested and  2,023,280  of which are  subject to vesting
periods of up to four years in duration).  Upon  exercise,  the shares of Common
Stock  underlying  such  options  will be  eligible  for sale on the open market
without  restriction,  except that Directors and certain Officers of the Company
must effect such sales  pursuant to Rule 144 under the 1933 Act.  Following this
offering,  sales and  potential  sales of shares of Common  Stock in the  public
market pursuant to Rule 144 or otherwise  could adversely  affect the prevailing
market  prices for the Common  Stock and impair the  Company's  ability to raise
additional equity capital.

Possible Volatility of Stock Price

         The Company  believes  factors  such as  announcements  with respect to
healthcare  reform  measures,   reductions  in  government   healthcare  program
projected  expenditures,  acquisitions and  quarter-to-quarter  and year-to-year
variations in financial  results could cause the market price of Magellan Common
Stock to fluctuate substantially.  Any such adverse announcement with respect to
healthcare  reform  measures  or  program  expenditures,   acquisitions  or  any
shortfall in revenue or earnings  from levels  expected by  securities  analysts
could have an immediate and  significant  adverse effect on the trading price of
Magellan Common Stock in any given period. As a result,  the market for Magellan
Common  Stock may  experience  price and volume  fluctuations  unrelated  to the
operating performance of Magellan. See "Price Range of Common Stock and Dividend
Policy" on page 12.

                                   THE COMPANY

         This section contains forward looking  statements within the meaning of
the Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform Act of 1995.  These forward  looking
statements  include,  without limitation,  the percentage  contribution to total
revenues  that the  Company  expects to receive  from each of its three lines of
business during fiscal 1997. (See the final sentence of "The Company-- Charter",
"-- Green Spring,  " and "-- Magellan  Public  Solutions").  Actual  results may
differ  mutually from those projected in such forward  looking  statements,  by,
among other things, the factors identified in "Risk Factors".

         Magellan is an integrated national behavioral  healthcare company.  The
Company  operates  through  three  principal  subsidiaries  engaging  in (i) the
provider  business,  (ii) the managed care  business and (iii) the public sector
business.

         Charter  Behavioral  Health Systems,  Inc.  ("Charter"),  the Company's
wholly-owned subsidiary that engages in the provider business, operated 90 acute
care psychiatric  hospitals and four residential  psychiatric  treatment centers
with an  aggregate  capacity of 8,463  licensed  beds as of December  31,  1996.
Charter also manages one acute care psychiatric  hospital with 34 licensed beds.
Eighty-eight of Charter's hospitals operate partial hospitalization programs and
the Company operates  approximately  150 outpatient  centers,  staffed by mental
health   professionals.   Approximately   77%  of  the  Company's   fiscal  1996
consolidated  revenue  was  contributed  by the  provider  business.  Management
estimates that approximately 65% of its fiscal 1997 consolidated revenue will be
contributed by the provider business.

         Green Spring,  the Company's 61% owned  subsidiary  that engages in the
managed care business,  provides managed behavioral  healthcare services,  which
include (i) Enhanced Utilization  Management,  a utilization review process that
employs  clinical  criteria  designed to provide each  patient with  accessible,
appropriate  and affordable  treatment  across the entire  continuum of care and
services; (ii) Care Management,  a fully integrated healthcare model that offers
utilization review services and provides care to patients through the management
of a national network of

                                        9

<PAGE>



contract   providers  and  Green   Spring-owned   staff  model  clinics;   (iii)
Comprehensive Administrative Services,  including member assistance,  management
reporting,  claims  processing,  clinical  management  information  and provider
referral systems that are adaptable to customer  circumstances  and requirements
through  a  network  of  more  than   30,000   providers   nationwide   covering
approximately  13.6 million members as of September 30, 1996.  Approximately 17%
of the Company's  fiscal 1996  consolidated  revenue was provided by the managed
care business.  Management  estimates that  approximately 25% of its fiscal 1997
consolidated revenue will be contributed by the managed care business.

         Magellan Public  Solutions,  Inc. ("Public  Solutions"),  the Company's
wholly-owned  subsidiary  that engages in the public sector  business,  provides
specialty  home-based  behavioral  healthcare  services,  behavioral services in
correctional  facilities  and  troubled  and  delinquent  adolescent  facilities
services  pursuant  to  contractual  arrangements  with  governmental  agencies.
Approximately 6% of the Company's fiscal 1996 consolidated  revenue was provided
by the public sector business.  Management  estimates that  approximately 10% of
its fiscal 1997  consolidated  revenue will be  contributed by the public sector
business.

         Magellan's  business  strategy is to provide access to a full continuum
of behavioral  healthcare and managed care services and to perform such services
in a cost effective  manner with  monitored  results.  The Company's  integrated
national  behavioral  healthcare  system has the  capability  to deliver  and to
manage the  delivery of  behavioral  healthcare  services  for large  public and
private payers who need assistance in managing the risk of behavioral healthcare
costs.

         Magellan  was  incorporated  in 1969  under  the  laws of the  State of
Delaware.  The Common Stock is traded on the New York Stock  Exchange  under the
symbol  "MGL."  Unless the context  otherwise  requires,  references to Magellan
include  Magellan  Health  Services,  Inc.  and  its  subsidiaries.   Magellan's
principal  executive  offices are located at 3414 Peachtree  Road,  N.E.,  Suite
1400, Atlanta, Georgia 30326, and its telephone number is (404) 841-9200.

                               RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

Green Spring Acquisition

         On December 13, 1995, the Company acquired a 51% ownership  interest in
Green Spring for  approximately  $68.9 million in cash,  the issuance of 215,458
shares of Common Stock valued at approximately $4.3 million and the contribution
of Group Practice Affiliates, a wholly-owned Magellan subsidiary, which became a
wholly-owned  subsidiary  of Green  Spring.  On December 20,  1995,  the Company
acquired an additional 10% ownership  interest in Green Spring for approximately
$16.7  million in cash as a result of an exercise by a minority  stockholder  of
its Exchange Option for a portion of the stockholder's interest in Green Spring.
The Company currently has a 61% ownership interest in Green Spring.

         The Company  believes the Green Spring  acquisition and the creation of
Public Solutions  combined with the existing provider business created the first
fully integrated national behavioral healthcare system and gives the Company the
capability  to provide case  management  and delivery  services to large private
organizations and a public sector marketplace seeking increased privatization of
services.  The Company  changed its name to Magellan  Health  Services,  Inc. on
December 21, 1995 to reflect the broader range of services it expects to provide
as a  result  of the  Green  Spring  acquisition  and  the  creation  of  Public
Solutions.

         The  minority  stockholders  of  Green  Spring  consist  of  four  Blue
Cross/Blue  Shield  organizations  (the "Blues") that are key customers of Green
Spring. In addition, two other Blues organizations that formerly owned a portion
of Green Spring will continue as customers of Green  Spring.  As of December 31,
1996, the minority  stockholders of Green Spring have the Exchange Option, which
under certain circumstances,  allows the minority stockholders to exchange their
ownership  interests in Green  Spring for  2,831,739  shares of Magellan  Common
Stock or $65.1 million in subordinated  notes. The Company may elect to pay cash
in lieu of issuing the subordinated  notes. The Exchange Option expires December
13, 1998.

Sale of Common Stock and Warrant

         On January  25,  1996,  the Company  completed  the sale to the Selling
Stockholder  of the Shares,  along with the  warrant to  purchase an  additional
2,000,000 shares of Common Stock, pursuant to the Stock and Warrant Purchase

                                       10

<PAGE>



Agreement.  The Warrant,  which  expires in January  2000,  entitles the Selling
Stockholder  to  purchase  the  Warrant  Shares at a per share  price of $26.15,
subject to adjustment for certain  dilutive  events,  and provides  registration
rights for the Warrant Shares.  The aggregate  purchase price for the Shares and
the  Warrant  was   $69,732,000.   The  Selling   Stockholder   currently   owns
approximately  14.0% of the  outstanding  voting  securities  of  Magellan.  The
Warrant becomes exercisable on January 25, 1997 and expires on January 25, 2000.

         The Stock and Warrant Purchase Agreement places certain restrictions on
the sale or transfer of the Shares and the Warrant Shares.  As a result, no more
than 40,000  Shares may be sold by the  Selling  Stockholder  or its  affiliates
prior to January  25,  1997.  Further,  prior to January 25,  2000,  the Selling
Stockholder or its affiliates may not sell or transfer in a privately negotiated
transaction  to a single  purchaser and its affiliates or a "group" ( as defined
in Rule 13d-  5(b)(1)  under the  Exchange  Act) Shares or Warrant  Shares which
would,  in the aggregate,  equal or exceed five percent (5%) of the Common Stock
then outstanding on a fully-diluted  basis. Neither of these restrictions affect
the free  transferability  of the Shares or the Warrant Shares among the Selling
Stockholder  and its  affiliates.  In addition,  the Stock and Warrant  Purchase
Agreement  contains  certain  standstill  covenants  on the part of the  Selling
Stockholder which, among other things,  prohibit the Selling Stockholder and its
affiliates  from  purchasing  additional  shares  of  Common  Stock so that they
collectively  own in excess  of 20% of the  outstanding  shares of Common  Stock
prior to January, 1998. The Stock and Warrant Purchase Agreement also grants the
Selling   Stockholder   certain  board   representation   rights.  See  "Selling
Stockholder".

         The Company  used $68.0  million of the  proceeds  from the sale of the
Shares and the Warrant to the Selling Stockholder to repay indebtedness incurred
under the  Company's  Credit  Agreement,  which  indebtedness  was  incurred  in
connection  with the  investments  in Green Spring  during the first  quarter of
fiscal 1996.

New Revolving Credit Agreement

         On October 28, 1996,  the Company  entered into a new Credit  Agreement
with certain  financial  institutions  for a five-year  senior secured  reducing
revolving credit facility in an aggregate committed amount of $400 million.  The
Company  borrowed  approximately  $121.0 million under the New Revolving  Credit
Agreement  in October  1996 to (i) pay-off  the  existing  borrowings  under the
Revolving  Credit  Agreement (as hereinafter  defined) and (ii) pay for fees and
expenses related to the New Revolving Credit Agreement.

         The loans  outstanding  under the New Revolving  Credit  Agreement bear
interest (subject to certain potential adjustments) at a rate per annum equal to
one,  two,  three or  six-month  LIBOR  plus  1.25% or the Prime  Lending  Rate.
Interest  on Prime  Lending  Rate  loans is  payable  at the end of each  fiscal
quarter and upon conversion to a LIBOR-based loan. Interest on LIBOR-based loans
is payable at the end of their respective one, two, three or six-month terms.

                                 USE OF PROCEEDS

         The Company will not receive any of the  proceeds  from the sale of the
Warrant Shares.  All of the proceeds from the sale of the Warrant Shares will be
received by the Selling Stockholder.
















                                       11

<PAGE>



                 PRICE RANGE OF COMMON STOCK AND DIVIDEND POLICY

         The Common  Stock is listed for trading on the New York Stock  Exchange
(ticker  symbol  "MGL").  As of December 31, 1996,  there were 11,063 holders of
record of the Company's  Common Stock.  The following  table sets forth the high
and low sales prices of the  Company's  Common Stock as reported by the American
Stock Exchange  (through December 30, 1996) and the New York Stock Exchange from
December 31, 1996 through January 23, 1997:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                  Common Stock Sales Prices
                                                  -------------------------
                  Calendar Year                    High               Low
- ----------------------------------------          ------             ------
<S>    <C>                                        <C>               <C>
1994 
       Fourth Quarter ..................          $28 1/2           $ 19

1995 
       First Quarter ...................          $21 1/4           $13 7/8
       Second Quarter ..................           19 5/8            15 5/8
       Third Quarter ...................           23 1/4            16 1/4
       Fourth Quarter ..................           24 1/4            17 3/8

1996 
       First Quarter ...................          $  25             $21 3/8
       Second Quarter ..................           24 7/8             21
       Third Quarter ...................           21 5/8            14 3/4
       Fourth Quarter ..................           22 5/8            17 3/8

1997 
       First Quarter (through January 23, 1997)   $23 1/8           $20 5/8

</TABLE>

         The Company has not declared any cash  dividends  during the last three
fiscal years.  As of December 31, 1996, the Company was  prohibited  from paying
dividends  on its  common  stock  under  the terms of its New  Revolving  Credit
Agreement.

                                 CAPITALIZATION

     The following table sets forth the consolidated  capitalization of Magellan
as of September  30, 1996 and as adjusted to reflect the  potential  exercise of
the Warrant at $26.15 per share by the Selling Shareholder.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>




                                                                         Actual                 As Adjusted                 
                                                                    ------------------       ------------------                     
                                                                    September 30, 1996       September 30, 1996
                                                                    ------------------       ------------------
                                                                       (in thousands, except per share data)

<S>                                                                 <C>                      <C>
Revolving Credit Agreement ......................................   $ 105,593                $  53,333
11.25% Senior Subordinated Notes due 2004 .......................     375,000                  375,000
Other long-term debt ............................................      91,465                   91,465
Stockholders' equity:
       Preferred stock, without par value;
         10,000 authorized; none issued and outstanding .........          --                       --
       Common Stock, $.25 par value; 80,000
         authorized; 33,007 issued and outstanding; 35,007 issued
          and outstanding as adjusted ...........................       8,252                    8,752
       Additional paid-in capital ...............................     327,681                  379,441
       Accumulated deficit ......................................    (129,457)                (129,457)
       Warrants outstanding .....................................          54                       54
       Common Stock in Treasury, 4,424 shares ...................     (82,731)                 (82,731)
       Cumulative foreign currency adjustments ..................      (1,982)                  (1,982)
                                                                    ---------                ---------
            Total stockholders' equity ..........................     121,817                  174,077
                                                                    ---------                ---------
            Total capitalization ................................   $ 693,875                $ 693,875
                                                                    =========                =========



</TABLE>
                                                     

                                       12

<PAGE>



                         SELECTED FINANCIAL INFORMATION

         The following table sets forth selected  historical  financial data and
selected pro forma  financial data for Magellan for the year ended September 30,
1996. The selected  historical  financial data for the year ended  September 30,
1996 have been  derived  from the audited  historical  financial  statements  of
Magellan.  The selected pro forma financial data gives effect to (i) the January
25, 1996 sale of the Shares to the Selling  Stockholder,  (ii) the September 27,
1996  repurchase  of  3,961,505  shares of  common  stock  pursuant  to a "Dutch
Auction"  self-tender offer to stockholders  (the "Share  Repurchase") and (iii)
the potential  exercise of the Warrant for  2,000,000  shares of common stock by
the Selling Shareholder, as if such transactions had occurred on October 1, 1995
(in thousands, except per share data).

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                            Fiscal Year Ended
                                                            September 30, 1996
                                             -----------------------------------------------------
                                                             Pro Forma              Pro Forma
                                                           Before Assumed        After Assumed
                                                           Exercise of the       Exercise of the
                                               Actual        Warrant (1)            Warrant (2)
                                              -------       --------------       ---------------
<S>                                           <C>           <C>                  <C>
Net income ................................   $32,383       $30,598              $32,965
Average number of common shares outstanding    31,104        28,374               30,374
Net income  per common share ..............      1.04          1.08                 1.09

</TABLE>


(1)  The  adjustments  to pro forma net income , net income per common share and
     average number of common shares outstanding result from the issuance of the
     Shares to the Selling Stockholder and the Share Repurchase, and the related
     adjustments to increase interest expense, net of tax, to effect for changes
     in outstanding  borrowings  under the Credit  Agreement for the fiscal year
     ended September 30, 1996.

(2)  The  adjustments  to pro forma net income,  net income per common share and
     average  number  of  common  shares  outstanding  result  from the  assumed
     exercise  of the  Warrant  by  the  Selling  Stockholder  and  the  related
     adjustment to decrease interest expense,  net of tax, to effect for changes
     in outstanding  borrowings  under the Credit  Agreement for the fiscal year
     ended September 30, 1996.

                                       13

<PAGE>



                               SELLING STOCKHOLDER

         The following table sets forth certain  information with respect to the
ownership  of the  Warrant  Shares as of January  24,  1997,  and as adjusted to
reflect  the  sale  of  the  Warrant  Shares  offered  hereby,  by  the  Selling
Stockholder.  The Selling  Stockholder has sole voting and investment power with
respect to the Warrant  Shares.  Under the rules of the  Securities and Exchange
Commission, Rainwater, Inc., the general partner of the Selling Stockholder, and
Richard E. Rainwater, the sole shareholder and a director of Rainwater, Inc. are
also deemed to be beneficial  owners of the Shares.  Darla Moore, Vice President
and a Director  of  Rainwater,  Inc.  was elected to the Board of  Directors  of
Magellan  on  February  22,  1996  pursuant  to the Stock and  Warrant  Purchase
Agreement.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                             Beneficial Ownership of          Number of               Ownership of
                               Common Stock Before           Shares Being           Common Stock After
                                   the Offering                Offered                the Offering (1)
                             -----------------------         ------------         ------------------------

                             Number Of                                            Number Of
        Name                  Shares         Percent                                Shares        Percent
- ---------------------        ------------   --------                              ------------   ---------
<S>                          <C>            <C>              <C>                  <C>            <C>
Rainwater-Magellan
  Holdings, L.P.             6,000,000        19.6           2,000,000 (2)        4,000,000        14.0

</TABLE>

- ------------------------------------


(1)      Assumes that all Shares being offered are sold.

(2)      No more than 40,000  Shares may be sold by the Selling  Stockholder  or
         its affiliates prior to January 25, 1997. Further, prior to January 25,
         2000,  the  Selling  Stockholder  or its  affiliates  may  not  sell or
         transfer in a privately  negotiated  transaction to a single  purchaser
         and its affiliates or any "group" (as defined in Rule 13d-5(b)(1) under
         the Exchange  Act) Shares  (including  shares  underlying  the Warrant)
         which would equal or exceed five  percent (5%) of the Common Stock then
         outstanding on a fully-diluted basis.


                              PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

         The  Warrant  Shares  may be sold  from  time  to  time by the  Selling
Stockholder on the New York Stock Exchange or any national  securities  exchange
or automated  interdealer  quotation  system on which shares of Common Stock are
then listed,  through  negotiated  transactions or otherwise.  Certain  transfer
restrictions  have been placed on the Warrant Shares offered hereby  pursuant to
the Stock and Warrant Purchase Agreement,  which in general restrict the sale of
the Shares prior to January 25, 1997. See "Recent Developments -- Sale of Common
Stock and Warrant".  The Warrant Shares will be sold at prices and on terms then
prevailing,  at prices related to the then current market price or at negotiated
prices. The Selling  Stockholder may effect sales of the Warrant Shares directly
or by or through agents, brokers, dealers or underwriters and the Warrant Shares
may be sold by one or more of the following  methods:  (a)  underwritten  public
offerings, (b) ordinary brokerage transactions, (c) purchases by a broker-dealer
as principal and resale by such  broker-dealer  for its own account  pursuant to
this   Prospectus,   (d)  in  "block"  sales,   and  (e)  privately   negotiated
transactions.  At the time a particular offer is made, a Prospectus  Supplement,
if required,  will be  distributed  that sets forth the name or names of agents,
broker-dealers  or  underwriters,  any commissions and other terms  constituting
compensation   and  any  other  required   information.   In  effecting   sales,
broker-dealers  engaged by the Selling  Stockholder and/or the purchasers of the
Warrant  Shares may arrange for other  broker-dealers  to  participate.  Broker-
dealers  will receive  commissions,  concessions  or discounts  from the Selling
Stockholder  and/or  the  purchasers  of the  Warrant  Shares in  amounts  to be
negotiated  prior to the sale.  Sales will be made only  through  broker-dealers
registered as such in a subject jurisdiction or in transactions exempt from such
registration.  As  of  the  date  of  this  Prospectus,  there  are  no  selling
arrangements between the Selling Stockholder and any broker or dealer.

         In  offering  the  Warrant  Shares,  the  Selling  Stockholder  and any
brokers,  dealers or agents who  participate  in a sale of the Warrant Shares by
the Selling Stockholder may be considered  "underwriters"  within the meaning of
Section  2(11)  of the  1933  Act,  and  any  profits  realized  by the  Selling
Stockholder  and the  compensation  of any  broker/dealers  may be  deemed to be
underwriting discounts and commissions.

                                       14

<PAGE>



         As required by the Stock and Warrant Purchase  Agreement,  Magellan has
filed the  Registration  Statement,  of which this Prospectus forms a part, with
respect  to the sale of the  Warrant  Shares.  Magellan  has  agreed to keep the
Registration  Statement current and effective,  with certain exceptions,  for so
long as the Selling Stockholder and its affiliates collectively own at least 25%
of the Shares  (including the Warrant  Shares) issued  pursuant to the Stock and
Warrant Purchase Agreement.

         Magellan  will not  receive  any of the  proceeds  from the sale of the
Warrant  Shares  by the  Selling  Stockholder.  Magellan  will bear the costs of
registering  the Warrant Shares under the 1933 Act,  including the  registration
fee under the 1933 Act, its legal and accounting fees and any printing fees. The
Selling  Stockholder  will  bear the  cost of  underwriting  commissions  and/or
discounts, if any, and selling commissions.

         Pursuant  to the  terms of the Stock and  Warrant  Purchase  Agreement,
Magellan and the Selling  Stockholder  have agreed to  indemnify  each other and
certain other related  parties for certain  liabilities,  including  liabilities
under the 1933 Act, in connection with the registration of the Warrant Shares.

                                  LEGAL MATTERS

         The legality of the Shares are passed upon for the Selling  Stockholder
by Steve J. Davis, Esq., Executive Vice President,  Administrative  Services and
General Counsel of the Company,  3414 Peachtree  Road,  N.E.,  Atlanta,  Georgia
30326.

                                     EXPERTS

         The audited consolidated  financial statements and schedule of Magellan
Health Services, Inc. and subsidiaries included in the Magellan Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the year ended  September  30, 1996  incorporated  by reference in
this Prospectus and elsewhere in this  Registration  Statement have been audited
by Arthur Andersen LLP,  independent public  accountants,  as indicated in their
reports with  respect  thereto,  and are  incorporated  by  reference  herein in
reliance upon the authority of said firm as experts in giving said reports.

         Future  consolidated  financial  statements  and  schedules of Magellan
Health  Services,  Inc.  and  subsidiaries  and the  reports  thereon  of Arthur
Andersen  LLP  also  will be  incorporated  by  reference  in this  Registration
Statement of which this  Prospectus  is a part in reliance upon the authority of
that firm as experts in giving those reports to the extent said firm has audited
those financial statements and consented to the use of their reports thereon.

                                       15

<PAGE>



- -------------------------------------------        -----------------------------
No person has been authorized in connection
with the offering  made hereby to give  any
information or to  make any  representation
not  contained in  this  Prospectus and, if
given  or   made,  such    information   or              2,000,000 SHARES
representation  must not be relied  upon as
having  been authorized by Magellan  or the
Selling Stockholder.  This Prospectus  does              MAGELLAN HEALTH
not  constitute  an  offer  to   sell  or a              SERVICES, INC.
solicitation  of an offer to buy any of the
securities   offered    hereby    in    any 
jurisdiction  in  which it  is unlawful  to
make such  offer or  solicitation.  Neither               COMMON STOCK
the delivery of  this  Prospectus  nor  any
sale  made   hereunder  shall,  under   any
circumstances,  create any implication that
the information contained herein is correct
as  of  any  time  subsequent  to  the date
hereof.



    ---------------------------                    -----------------------------
                                                            PROSPECTUS
                                                   -----------------------------



          TABLE OF CONTENTS

Available Information.....................2
Incorporation of Certain Documents
  by Reference............................2
Risk Factors..............................3
The Company...............................9
Recent Developments......................10
Use of Proceeds..........................11
Price Range of Common Stock
  and Dividend Policy....................12
Capitalization...........................12
Selected Financial Information...........13
Selling Stockholder......................14
Plan of Distribution.....................14
Legal Matters............................15
Experts  ................................15






                                                       January    , 1997




- ------------------------------------------         ----------------------------



                                                        16

<PAGE>




                                     PART II

                     INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

Item 14.        Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
         <S>                                                               <C>
         Securities and Exchange Commission Registration Fee               $13,484.85
         Legal Fees and Expenses                                            10,000.00
         Accounting Fees and Expenses                                        4,000.00
         Blue Sky Fees and Expenses (including legal fees and expenses)      1,000.00
         Printing                                                            5,000.00
         Miscellaneous                                                       6,515.15
                                                                           ----------
           Total                                                           $40,000.00
                                                                           ==========                   
</TABLE>

         All of the above items, except for the registration fee, are estimates.
Although  the Selling  Stockholder  will not bear any of the  expenses set forth
above, the Selling  Stockholder  will bear the cost of underwriting  commissions
and/or discounts, if any, and selling commissions.

Item 15.        Indemnification of Directors and Officers

         The  Company is a Delaware  corporation.  Section  145 of the  Delaware
General  Corporation Law (the "DGCL")  provides that a Delaware  corporation has
the power to indemnify its officers and directors in certain circumstances.

         Subsection  (a) of Section 145 of the DGCL  empowers a  corporation  to
indemnify any director or officer, or former director or officer,  who was or is
a party  or is  threatened  to be made a party  to any  threatened,  pending  or
completed  action or suit by or in the  right of the  corporation  to  procure a
judgment in its favor by reason of the fact that such person acted in any of the
capacities  set  forth  above,  against  expenses  (including  attorneys'  fees)
actually and reasonably incurred in connection with the defense or settlement of
such action or suit  provided  that such director or officer acted in good faith
and in a manner  he  reasonably  believed  to be in or not  opposed  to the best
interests  of the  corporation,  except that no  indemnification  may be made in
respect of any claim, issue or matter as to which such director or officer shall
have been adjudged to be liable to the corporation unless and only to the extent
that the Court of Chancery or the court in which such action or suit was brought
shall determine upon application that, despite the adjudication of liability but
in view of all the circumstances of the case, such director or officer is fairly
and  reasonably  entitled to indemnity for such  expenses  which the court shall
deem proper.

         Section 145 further  provides  that to the extent a director or officer
of a  corporation  has been  successful  in the defense of any  action,  suit or
proceeding referred to in subsections (a) or (b) or in the defense of any claim,
issue or matter therein,  he shall be indemnified  against  expenses  (including
attorneys'  fees)  actually  and  reasonably   incurred  by  him  in  connection
therewith;  provided that indemnification provided for by Section 145 or granted
pursuant  thereto shall not be deemed exclusive of any other rights to which the
indemnified party may be entitled.  Section 145 also empowers the corporation to
purchase  and  maintain  insurance  on behalf of a  director  or  officer of the
corporation against any liability asserted against him or incurred by him in any
such  capacity  or  arising  out  of his  status  as  such  whether  or not  the
corporation would have the power to indemnify him against such liabilities under
Section 145.

         Article  VII of the Bylaws of  Magellan  provide,  in  substance,  that
Magellan  shall  indemnify  directors  and officers  against all  liability  and
related expenses  incurred in connection with the affairs of Magellan if: (a) in
the case of actions not by or in the right of Magellan,  the director or officer
acted in good  faith  and in a manner  he  reasonably  believed  to be in or not
opposed  to the best  interests  of  Magellan,  and (with  respect to a criminal
proceeding) had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct was unlawful; and (b)
in the case of actions by or in the right of Magellan, the

                                       17

<PAGE>



director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner he  reasonably  believed
to be in or not opposed to the best  interests  of  Magellan,  provided  that no
indemnification shall be made for a claim as to which the director or officer is
adjudged  liable to Magellan unless (and only to the extent that) an appropriate
court determines that, in view of all the  circumstances,  such person is fairly
and reasonably entitled to indemnity.

         In  addition,   Section   102(b)(8)   of  the  DGCL  permits   Delaware
corporations  to include a  provision  in their  certificates  of  incorporation
eliminating or limiting the personal  liability of a director to the corporation
or its  stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary as a director,
provided  that such  provisions  shall not eliminate or limit the liability of a
director (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the corporation
or its  stockholders,  (ii)  for  acts or  omissions  not in good  faith or that
involve  intentional  misconduct  or a knowing  violation of the law,  (iii) for
unlawful payment of dividends or other unlawful  distributions,  or (iv) for any
transactions  from which the  director  derived an  improper  personal  benefit.
Article  Twelve of Magellan's  Certificate  of  Incorporation  sets forth such a
provision.

         Magellan maintains  directors' and officers'  liability  insurance with
various providers in the aggregate amount of $60 million.

         The  Selling  Stockholder  has agreed to  indemnify  the  Company,  its
directors  and  officers  (who sign the  Registration  Statement),  and  certain
controlling persons against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the
1933 Act  subject  to such  limitations  as set forth in the  Stock and  Warrant
Purchase Agreement.

         The foregoing summaries are necessarily subject to the complete text of
the statutes,  Certificate  of  Incorporation,  Bylaws,  insurance  policies and
agreements  referred to above and are  qualified in their  entirety by reference
thereto.

         For the undertaking with respect to indemnification, see Item 17.

Item 16.          Exhibits

         4.1      Restated Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as filed
                  in Delaware on October  16,  1992,  which was filed as Exhibit
                  3(a) to the Company's  Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
                  ended  September  30,  1992,  and is  incorporated  herein  by
                  reference.
         4.2      Certificate  of Ownership and Merger merging  Magellan  Health
                  Services,  Inc. (a Delaware  corporation) into Charter Medical
                  Corporation (a Delaware corporation),  as filed in Delaware on
                  December  21,  1995,  which was filed as  Exhibit  3(c) to the
                  Company's  Annual  Report  on Form  10-K  for the  year  ended
                  September 30, 1995, and is incorporated herein by reference.
         4.3      Form of Share Purchase Rights Plan among the Company and First
                  Union National Bank of North Carolina,  N.A.,  which was filed
                  as Exhibit 2.5 to the Company's Registration Statement on Form
                  8-A  dated  July  8  1992,  and  is  incorporated   herein  by
                  reference.
         4.4      Stockholders' Agreement,  dated December 13, 1995, among Green
                  Spring Health  Services,  Inc.,  Blue Cross and Blue Shield of
                  New   Jersey,   Inc.,   Health   Care   Service   Corporation,
                  Independence  Blue Cross,  Pierce County Medical Bureau,  Inc.
                  and the  Company,  which  was  filed  as  Exhibit  4(d) to the
                  Company's  Quarterly  Report  on Form  10-Q for the  quarterly
                  period ended December 31, 1995, and is incorporated  herein by
                  reference.
         4.5      Exchange Agreement,  dated December 13, 1995, among Blue Cross
                  and Blue  Shield of New  Jersey,  Inc.,  Health  Care  Service
                  Corporation,  Independence  Blue Cross,  Pierce County Medical
                  Bureau, Inc. and the Company,  which was filed as Exhibit 4(e)
                  to the  Company's  Quarterly  Report  on  Form  10-Q  for  the
                  quarterly  period ended December 31, 1995, and is incorporated
                  herein by reference.


                                       18

<PAGE>



          4.6     Stock and Warrant Purchase Agreement, dated December 22, 1995,
                  between the Company and Richard E. Rainwater,  which was filed
                  as Exhibit 4(f) to the Company's  quarterly report on Form 10-
                  Q for the  quarterly  period ended  December 31, 1995,  and is
                  incorporated herein by reference.
          4.7     Amendment No. 1 to Stock and Warrant Purchase Agreement, dated
                  January 25, 1996, between the Company and Rainwater-Magellan
                  Holdings, L.P., which was filed as Exhibit 4(a) to the 
                  Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly
                  period ended March 31, 1996, and is incorporated by reference
                  herein.
          5.1     Opinion  of Steve J. Davis as to  the legality of the Common 
                  Stock to be registered.
         23.1     Consent of Steve J. Davis (included in Exhibit 5.1)
         23.2     Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.
         24.1     Powers of Attorney.

- ------------------------------------


Item 17.          Undertakings

     The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:

     (1) To file,  during any period in which  offers or sales are being made of
securities  registered  hereby, a post-effective  amendment to this Registration
Statement:

     (i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the 1933 Act;

     (ii) To reflect in the  prospectus  any facts or events  arising  after the
effective date of the Registration  Statement (or the most recent post-effective
amendment  thereof)  which,  individually  or  in  the  aggregate,  represent  a
fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement;

     (iii) To  include  any  material  information  with  respect to the plan of
distribution  not  previously  disclosed  in the  Registration  Statement or any
material   change   to  such   information   in  the   Registration   Statement.
Notwithstanding the foregoing,  any increase or decrease in volume of securities
offered (if the total dollar value of  securities  offered would not exceed that
which  was  registered)  and any  deviation  from  the  low or  high  and of the
estimated  maximum  offering  range may be reflected  in the form of  prospectus
filed with the  Commission  pursuant  to Rule 424(b) if, in the  aggregate,  the
changes in volume  and price  represent  no more than 20  percent  change in the
maximum  aggregate  offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration
Fee" table in the effective registration statement.

         Provided,  however,  that the  undertakings set forth in paragraphs (i)
and (ii) above do not apply if the  information  required  to be  included  in a
post-effective  amendment by those  paragraphs is contained in periodic  reports
filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant  pursuant to Section
13 or  Section  15(d)  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act  of  1934,  as  amended
("Exchange  Act"),  that are  incorporated  by  reference  in this  Registration
Statement.

       (2) That,  for the purpose of  determining  any liability  under the 1933
Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration
statement relating to the securities  offered therein,  and the offering of such
securities  at that time shall be deemed to be the  initial  bona fide  offering
thereof.

       (3) To remove from  registration by means of a  post-effective  amendment
any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of
the offering.

       The  undersigned  registrant  hereby  undertakes  that  for  purposes  of
determining  any liability  under the 1933 Act, each filing of the  registrant's
annual  report  pursuant to Section  13(a) or Section  15(d) of the Exchange Act
that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed
to be a new registration  statement  relating to the securities offered therein,
and the  offering  of such  securities  at that  time  shall be deemed to be the
initial bona fide offering thereof.

     Insofar as indemnification  for liabilities  arising under the 1933 Act may
be permitted to directors, officers and

                                       19

<PAGE>



controlling  persons of the registrant,  the registrant has been advised that in
the opinion of the Commission such  indemnification  is against public policy as
expressed in the 1933 Act and is, therefore,  unenforceable. In the event that a
claim for  indemnification  against such liabilities  (other than the payment by
the  registrant  of  expenses  incurred  or  paid  by  a  director,  officer  or
controlling  person of the registrant in the  successful  defense of any action,
suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling persons
of the  registrant in  connection  with the  securities  being  registered,  the
registrant  will,  unless in the  opinion  of its  counsel  the  matter has been
settled by controlling precedent,  submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction
the question of whether such  indemnification  by it is against public policy as
expressed in the 1933 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such
issue.

                                       20

<PAGE>



                                   SIGNATURES

       Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of  the  Securities  Act  of  1933,  the
registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned,  thereunto  duly
authorized,  in the  City of  Atlanta,  State  of  Georgia,  on the  23rd day of
January, 1997.


                                               MAGELLAN HEALTH SERVICES, INC.



                                               By:/s/ Howard A. McLure
                                               ------------------------------
                                               Howard A. McLure
                                               Vice President and Controller
                                               (Principal Accounting Officer)


         Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933,  this
Registration  Statement has been signed by the following persons on January 23,
1997 in the capacities and on the date indicated.




*                                              Date:   January 23, 1997
- -----------------------------------            ------------------------
E. Mac Crawford
President and Chairman of the Board
(Principal Executive Officer)



*                                              Date:   January 23, 1997
- -----------------------------------            ------------------------
Craig L. McKnight
Executive Vice President and
 Chief Financial Officer
(Principal Financial Officer)


/s/ Howard A. McLure                           Date:   January 23, 1997
- -----------------------------------            ------------------------
Howard A. McLure
Vice President and Controller
(Principal Accounting Officer)



                                               Date:   January 23, 1997
- -----------------------------------            ------------------------
Edwin M. Banks
Director

                                       21

<PAGE>



*                                              Date:   January 23, 1997
- -----------------------------------            ------------------------
G. Fred DiBona, Jr.
Director



*                                              Date:   January 23, 1997
- -----------------------------------            ------------------------
Andre C. Dimitriadis
Director



*                                              Date:   January 23, 1997
- -----------------------------------            ------------------------
A. D. Frazier, Jr.
Director



*                                              Date:   January 23, 1997
- -----------------------------------            ------------------------
Raymond H. Kiefer
Director



*                                              Date:   January 23, 1997
- -----------------------------------            ------------------------
Gerald L. McManis
Director



*                                              Date:   January 23, 1997
- -----------------------------------            ------------------------
Darla Moore
Director


*The undersigned  Attorney-in-Fact,  by signing his name below, does hereby sign
this Registration Statement on behalf of the indicated officers and directors of
the  Registrant  pursuant  to a Power of Attorney  executed by such  persons and
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.


By:  /s/ Howard A. McLure                       Date:   January 23, 1997
    -------------------------------             ------------------------
       Howard A. McLure


                                       22

<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS


Exhibit
<S>  <C>                                                                             <C>  
4.1  Restated  Certificate of Incorporation of the Company, as filed in Delaware
     on  October  16,  1992,  which was filed as Exhibit  3(a) to the  Company's
     Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  September  30, 1992,  and is
     incorporated herein by reference.                                               IBR
   
4.2  Certificate of Ownership and Merger merging Magellan Health Services,  Inc.
     (a Delaware  corporation)  into  Charter  Medical  Corporation  (a Delaware
     corporation), as filed in Delaware on December 21, 1995, which was filed as
     Exhibit 3(c) to the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
     September 30, 1995, and is incorporated herein by reference.                    IBR
   
4.3  Form of Share  Purchase  Rights  Plan  among the  Company  and First  Union
     National Bank of North  Carolina,  N.A.,  which was filed as Exhibit 2.5 to
     the Company's Registration Statement on Form 8-A dated July 6, 1992, and is
     incorporated herein by reference.                                               IBR
  
4.4  Stockholders' Agreement, dated December 13, 1995, among Green Spring Health
     Services, Inc., Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey, Inc., Health Care
     Service Corporation, Independence Blue Cross, Pierce County Medical Bureau,
     Inc.  and the  Company,  which was filed as Exhibit  4(d) to the  Company's
     Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly  period ended December 31,
     1995, and is incorporated herein by reference.                                  IBR
   
4.5  Exchange  Agreement,  dated  December 13,  1995,  among Blue Cross and Blue
     Shield of New Jersey, Inc., Health Care Service  Corporation,  Independence
     Blue Cross, Pierce County Medical Bureau,  Inc. and the Company,  which was
     filed as Exhibit 4(e) to the  Company's  Quarterly  Report on Form 10-Q for
     the quarterly period ended December 31, 1995, and is incorporated herein by
     reference.                                                                      IBR
   
4.6  Stock and Warrant Purchase Agreement,  dated December 22, 1995, between the
     Company and Richard E.  Rainwater,  which was filed as Exhibit  4(f) to the
     Company's  quarterly  report on Form 10-Q for the  quarterly  period  ended
     December 31, 1995, and is incorporated herein by reference.                     IBR
   
4.7  Amendment No. 1 to Stock and Warrant Purchase Agreement,  dated January 25,
     1996, between the Company and Rainwater-Magellan Holdings, L.P., which  was
     filed as Exhibit 4(a) to the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for 
     the quarterly period ended March 31, 1996, and is incorporated by reference
     herein.                                                                         IBR
  
5.1  Opinion of Steve J.  Davis as to the  legality  of the  Common  Stock to be
     registered.
  
23.1 Consent of Steve J. Davis (included in Exhibit 5.1)
  
23.2 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP.
  
24.1 Powers of Attorney.

- ------------------------------------
</TABLE>






                                       23




                                January 23, 1997

Magellan Health Services, Inc.
3414 Peachtree Road, N.E.
Suite 1400
Atlanta, Georgia  30326

  Re:  Form S-3 Registration Statement relating to 2,000,000 shares of 
       Common Stock, par value $.25 per share, of Magellan Health Services, Inc.
       -------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         I have acted as counsel for Magellan Health Services,  Inc., a Delaware
corporation  (the  "Company"),   in  connection  with  the  preparation  of  the
Registration Statement on Form S-3 (the "Registration Statement") filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended,
relating  to the  offering  from  time to time of up to  2,000,000  shares  (the
"Shares")  of Common  Stock,  par  value  $.25 per  share,  of the  Company,  by
Rainwater-Magellan Holdings, L.P.

         As  such  counsel,  I have  examined  and  relied  upon  such  records,
documents, certificates and other instruments as in my judgment are necessary or
appropriate  to form the basis for the opinions  hereinafter  set forth.  In all
such  examinations,  I have assumed the  genuineness  of  signatures on original
documents and the conformity to such original  documents of all copies submitted
to me as certified,  conformed or photographic copies, and as to certificates of
public officials,  I have assumed the same to have been properly given and to be
accurate.

         Based upon the foregoing, I am of the opinion that the Shares have been
duly authorized and validly issued and are fully paid and nonassessable.

         I  consent  to  the  filing  of  this  opinion  as an  exhibit  to  the
Registration  Statement  and to the  reference  to me under the  caption  "Legal
Matters" in the Prospectus that forms a part of the Registration Statement.

                              Very truly yours,

                              /s/ Steve J. Davis
                              -------------------------
                              Steve J. Davis
                              Executive Vice President, Administrative Services,
                              and General Counsel








                    CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS





         As   independent   public   accountants,   we  hereby  consent  to  the
incorporation by reference in this  Registration  Statement of our reports dated
November 7, 1996 included in Magellan Health  Services,  Inc.'s Annual Report on
Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended  September  30,1996 and to all references to
our firm included in this Registration Statement.



                                                        /s/ Arthur Andersen LLP


Atlanta, Georgia
January 23, 1997





                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         KNOW ALL BY THESE  PRESENTS THAT I, E. MAC CRAWFORD,  President,  Chief
Executive Officer,  and Chairman of the Board of Magellan Health Services,  Inc.
(the  "Company"),  do  hereby  appoint  Howard A.  McLure,  Vice  President  and
Controller  of the  Company  and  Steve  J.  Davis,  Executive  Vice  President,
Administrative  Services and General Counsel of the Company, or any one of them,
my true and  lawful  attorney-in-fact  for me and in my name for the  purpose of
executing on my behalf (i) the Company's  Registration Statement on Form S-3, or
any amendments or supplements  thereto, for the registration of shares of Common
Stock of the Company to be issued in connection with the exercise of warrants to
purchase Common Stock of the Company issued to Rainwater-Magellan Holdings, L.P.
and the  subsequent  resale  of such  Common  Stock;  (ii) any  application  for
registration or qualification (or exemption  therefrom) of such shares under the
Blue Sky or other federal or state  securities laws and  regulations;  and (iii)
any other document or instrument  deemed necessary or appropriate by any of them
in connection  with such  application  for  registration  or  qualification  (or
exemption  therefrom);  and for the  purpose  of causing  any such  registration
statement  or any  subsequent  amendment  or  supplement  to  such  registration
statement to be filed with the  Securities and Exchange  Commission  pursuant to
the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto set my hand as of the 23rd day of
January, 1997.


                                         /s/ E. Mac Crawford
                                         --------------------------------------
                                         E. MAC CRAWFORD
                                         President, Chief Executive Officer, and
                                         Chairman of the Board


<PAGE>



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         KNOW ALL BY THESE  PRESENTS THAT I, CRAIG L.  McKNIGHT,  Executive Vice
President and Chief  Financial  Officer of Magellan Health  Services,  Inc. (the
"Company"), do hereby appoint Howard A. McLure, Vice President and Controller of
the  Company  and  Steve J.  Davis,  Executive  Vice  President,  Administrative
Services  and General  Counsel of the Company,  or any one of them,  my true and
lawful attorney-in-fact for me and in my name for the purpose of executing on my
behalf (i) the Company's  Registration  Statement on Form S-3, or any amendments
or supplements  thereto,  for the  registration of shares of Common Stock of the
Company to be issued in  connection  with the  exercise  of warrants to purchase
Common Stock of the Company issued to Rainwater-Magellan  Holdings, L.P. and the
subsequent resale of such Common Stock; (ii) any application for registration or
qualification  (or  exemption  therefrom)  of such shares  under the Blue Sky or
other  federal or state  securities  laws and  regulations;  and (iii) any other
document  or  instrument  deemed  necessary  or  appropriate  by any of  them in
connection with such application for registration or qualification (or exemption
therefrom);  and for the purpose of causing any such  registration  statement or
any  subsequent  amendment or  supplement to such  registration  statement to be
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto set my hand as of the 23rd day of
January, 1997.


                                          /s/ Craig L. McKnight
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         CRAIG L. McKNIGHT
                                         Executive Vice President and Chief
                                         Financial Officer




<PAGE>




                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         KNOW ALL BY THESE  PRESENTS THAT I, G. FRED DiBONA,  JR., a Director of
Magellan  Health  Services,  Inc. (the  "Company"),  do hereby appoint Howard A.
McLure,  Vice  President  and  Controller  of the  Company  and Steve J.  Davis,
Executive Vice  President,  Administrative  Services and General  Counsel of the
Company, or any one of them, my true and lawful  attorney-in-fact  for me and in
my name for the purpose of executing on my behalf (i) the Company's Registration
Statement  on Form  S-3,  or any  amendments  or  supplements  thereto,  for the
registration of shares of Common Stock of the Company to be issued in connection
with the exercise of warrants to purchase  Common Stock of the Company issued to
Rainwater-Magellan  Holdings,  L.P.  and the  subsequent  resale of such  Common
Stock;  (ii) any application for  registration  or  qualification  (or exemption
therefrom)  of such  shares  under  the  Blue  Sky or  other  federal  or  state
securities  laws and  regulations;  and (iii) any other  document or  instrument
deemed  necessary  or  appropriate  by any  of  them  in  connection  with  such
application for registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom);  and for
the  purpose  of  causing  any such  registration  statement  or any  subsequent
amendment  or  supplement  to such  registration  statement to be filed with the
Securities  and Exchange  Commission  pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto set my hand as of the 23rd day of
January, 1997.


                                          /s/ G. Fred DiBona, Jr.
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         G. FRED DiBONA, JR.
                                         Director


<PAGE>




                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         KNOW ALL BY THESE PRESENTS THAT I, ANDRE C. DIMITRIADIS,  a Director of
Magellan  Health  Services,  Inc. (the  "Company"),  do hereby appoint Howard A.
McLure,  Vice  President  and  Controller  of the  Company  and Steve J.  Davis,
Executive Vice  President,  Administrative  Services and General  Counsel of the
Company, or any one of them, my true and lawful  attorney-in-fact  for me and in
my name for the purpose of executing on my behalf (i) the Company's Registration
Statement  on Form  S-3,  or any  amendments  or  supplements  thereto,  for the
registration of shares of Common Stock of the Company to be issued in connection
with the exercise of warrants to purchase  Common Stock of the Company issued to
Rainwater-Magellan  Holdings,  L.P.  and the  subsequent  resale of such  Common
Stock;  (ii) any application for  registration  or  qualification  (or exemption
therefrom)  of such  shares  under  the  Blue  Sky or  other  federal  or  state
securities  laws and  regulations;  and (iii) any other  document or  instrument
deemed  necessary  or  appropriate  by any  of  them  in  connection  with  such
application for registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom);  and for
the  purpose  of  causing  any such  registration  statement  or any  subsequent
amendment  or  supplement  to such  registration  statement to be filed with the
Securities  and Exchange  Commission  pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto set my hand as of the 23rd day of
January, 1997.


                                          /s/ Andre C. Dimitriadis
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         ANDRE C. DIMITRIADIS
                                         Director


<PAGE>




                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         KNOW ALL BY THESE  PRESENTS THAT I, A. D.  FRAZIER,  JR., a Director of
Magellan  Health  Services,  Inc. (the  "Company"),  do hereby appoint Howard A.
McLure,  Vice  President  and  Controller  of the  Company  and Steve J.  Davis,
Executive Vice  President,  Administrative  Services and General  Counsel of the
Company, or any one of them, my true and lawful  attorney-in-fact  for me and in
my name for the purpose of executing on my behalf (i) the Company's Registration
Statement  on Form  S-3,  or any  amendments  or  supplements  thereto,  for the
registration of shares of Common Stock of the Company to be issued in connection
with the exercise of warrants to purchase  Common Stock of the Company issued to
Rainwater-Magellan  Holdings,  L.P.  and the  subsequent  resale of such  Common
Stock;  (ii) any application for  registration  or  qualification  (or exemption
therefrom)  of such  shares  under  the  Blue  Sky or  other  federal  or  state
securities  laws and  regulations;  and (iii) any other  document or  instrument
deemed  necessary  or  appropriate  by any  of  them  in  connection  with  such
application for registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom);  and for
the  purpose  of  causing  any such  registration  statement  or any  subsequent
amendment  or  supplement  to such  registration  statement to be filed with the
Securities  and Exchange  Commission  pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto set my hand as of the 23rd day of
January, 1997.


                                          /s/ A. D. Frazier, Jr.
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         A. D. FRAZIER, JR.
                                         Director


<PAGE>




                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         KNOW ALL BY THESE  PRESENTS  THAT I, RAYMOND H.  KIEFER,  a Director of
Magellan  Health  Services,  Inc. (the  "Company"),  do hereby appoint Howard A.
McLure,  Vice  President  and  Controller  of the  Company  and Steve J.  Davis,
Executive Vice  President,  Administrative  Services and General  Counsel of the
Company, or any one of them, my true and lawful  attorney-in-fact  for me and in
my name for the purpose of executing on my behalf (i) the Company's Registration
Statement  on Form  S-3,  or any  amendments  or  supplements  thereto,  for the
registration of shares of Common Stock of the Company to be issued in connection
with the  investment  in  Common  Stock  of the  Company  by  Rainwater-Magellan
Holdings,  L.P.;  (ii) any application for  registration  or  qualification  (or
exemption therefrom) of such shares under the Blue Sky or other federal or state
securities  laws and  regulations;  and (iii) any other  document or  instrument
deemed  necessary  or  appropriate  by any  of  them  in  connection  with  such
application for registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom);  and for
the  purpose  of  causing  any such  registration  statement  or any  subsequent
amendment  or  supplement  to such  registration  statement to be filed with the
Securities  and Exchange  Commission  pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto set my hand as of the 23rd day of
January, 1997.


                                          /s/ Raymond H. Kiefer
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         RAYMOND H. KIEFER
                                         Director


<PAGE>




                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         KNOW ALL BY THESE  PRESENTS  THAT I, GERALD L.  McMANIS,  a Director of
Magellan  Health  Services,  Inc. (the  "Company"),  do hereby appoint Howard A.
McLure,  Vice  President  and  Controller  of the  Company  and Steve J.  Davis,
Executive Vice  President,  Administrative  Services and General  Counsel of the
Company, or any one of them, my true and lawful  attorney-in-fact  for me and in
my name for the purpose of executing on my behalf (i) the Company's Registration
Statement  on Form  S-3,  or any  amendments  or  supplements  thereto,  for the
registration of shares of Common Stock of the Company to be issued in connection
with the  investment  in  Common  Stock  of the  Company  by  Rainwater-Magellan
Holdings,  L.P.;  (ii) any application for  registration  or  qualification  (or
exemption therefrom) of such shares under the Blue Sky or other federal or state
securities  laws and  regulations;  and (iii) any other  document or  instrument
deemed  necessary  or  appropriate  by any  of  them  in  connection  with  such
application for registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom);  and for
the  purpose  of  causing  any such  registration  statement  or any  subsequent
amendment  or  supplement  to such  registration  statement to be filed with the
Securities  and Exchange  Commission  pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto set my hand as of the 23rd day of
January, 1997.


                                          /s/ Gerald L. McManis
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         GERALD L. McMANIS
                                         Director


<PAGE>



                                POWER OF ATTORNEY


         KNOW ALL BY THESE  PRESENTS THAT I, DARLA MOORE, a Director of Magellan
Health Services, Inc. (the "Company"),  do hereby appoint Howard A. McLure, Vice
President  and  Controller  of the Company and Steve J.  Davis,  Executive  Vice
President,  Administrative  Services and General Counsel of the Company,  or any
one of them, my true and lawful  attorney-in-fact  for me and in my name for the
purpose of executing on my behalf (i) the  Company's  Registration  Statement on
Form S-3, or any  amendments or supplements  thereto,  for the  registration  of
shares of Common  Stock of the  Company  to be  issued  in  connection  with the
exercise  of  warrants  to  purchase  Common  Stock  of the  Company  issued  to
Rainwater-Magellan  Holdings,  L.P.  and the  subsequent  resale of such  Common
Stock;  (ii) any application for  registration  or  qualification  (or exemption
therefrom)  of such  shares  under  the  Blue  Sky or  other  federal  or  state
securities  laws and  regulations;  and (iii) any other  document or  instrument
deemed  necessary  or  appropriate  by any  of  them  in  connection  with  such
application for registration or qualification (or exemption therefrom);  and for
the  purpose  of  causing  any such  registration  statement  or any  subsequent
amendment  or  supplement  to such  registration  statement to be filed with the
Securities  and Exchange  Commission  pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended.

         IN WITNESS  WHEREOF,  I have hereunto set my hand as of the 23rd day of
January, 1997.


                                          /s/ Darla Moore
                                         ---------------------------------------
                                         DARLA MOORE
                                         Director






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