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Michigan Lawmakers Introduce Bills Package To Expand Access To Health Care To State's Uninsured
Michigan lawmakers introduced health reform packages this week, the Detroit News reports. On Thursday, state senators introduced a bipartisan package of health care bills aimed at expanding health insurance coverage to the state"s 1.2 million uninsured residents. The package, named MI Health, would establish two state health plans that provide the residents with more affordable and accessible coverage options.MI Access would expand the state Medicaid program to include residents with annual incomes under 200% of the federal poverty level, and beneficiaries would contribute copayments for services and medications. MI Coverage would provide subsidized coverage options for residents with annual incomes at 200% to 300% of the poverty level. Fees for residents under MI Coverage would be set according to their health levels and habits (Bouffard, Detroit News, 5/14). The proposed legislation package also would create a state fund that pays for insurance claims exceeding $25,000, or up to $250,000 per year, with health plans making contributions to the fund. In addition, the package proposes to bar commercial insurers from rejecting coverage for applicants with chronic conditions or increasing their premiums if they have been previously diagnosed with a chronic condition (Anstett, Detroit Free Press, 5/15).

Official Launch Of A European Obesity Day Online Survey
On the 16th May Member of European Parliament Magor Imre Csibi (Romanian MEP of the Alliance for Liberals and Democrats), the UK National Obesity Forum (NOF) and the Belgian Obese Patients organisation (BOLD) launched the "European Obesity Day" online survey. With excess weight and obesity increasing across Europe at an alarming rate, the online survey seeks to understand to what degree this is of concern to European citizens and what steps we think should be taken to address this pressing issue.
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Generation Of A Severe Memory-Deficit Mutant Mouse By Exclusively Eliminating The Kinase Activity Of CaMKIIalpha
Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II alpha (CaMKII alpha) is an enzyme that adds phosphates to a variety of protein substrates to modify their functions. CaMKII alpha is enriched in the hippocampus, the memory center of the brain, and is believed to be an essential mediator of activity-dependent synaptic plasticity and memory functions. However, the causative role of the enzymatic activity of CaMKII alpha in such processes has not been demonstrated yet, because this enzyme has multiple protein functions other than the kinase activity. A Japanese research group, led by Dr Yoko Yamagata of the National Institute for Physiological Sciences, Japan, has successfully generated a novel kinase-dead mutant mouse of the CaMKII alpha gene that completely and exclusively lacks its kinase activity. They examined hippocampal synaptic plasticity and behavioral learning of the mouse, and found a severe deficit in both processes. They reported their findings in the Journal of Neuroscience, published on June 10, 2009.
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Treatment Lightens Teenage Depression's Heavy Toll, Lowers Suicide Risk, Says Packard/Stanford Child Psychiatrist

Help is available - and essential - for teenagers struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts. In the wake of two recent teen suicides in Palo Alto, Calif., child and adolescent psychiatrist Frances Wren, MD, is working to raise community awareness of mental-health res for young people. Wren, who directs the Child and Adolescent Depression Clinic at Lucile Packard Children"s Hospital at Stanford, hopes to clarify the warning signs of teen depression and counteract the stigma teens or families may feel about seeking treatment. Recognizing the link between depression and suicidal thoughts is an important first step in preventing teen suicides. "A very large majority of people who die by suicide are suffering a psychiatric illness. About two-thirds are depressed, and often that depression has been present a year or longer," said Wren, who is also an assistant professor of psychiatry and of pediatrics at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Teenage depression is common, she noted, with 15 percent of teens experiencing an episode of clinical depression before they reach adulthood. Though teen suicides are rare, suicide attempts are more widespread, and all cases of depression should be taken seriously. Parents of teens who notice depression warning signs such as sustained changes in mood, deterioration in grades, withdrawal from friends or loss of interest in usual activities should seek help, Wren said. "Depression is not just sadness," she said. "Patterns of irritability, anger and acting withdrawn can also signal depression." The good news is that effective treatments for depression are available; the challenge is that, because depression sufferers feel hopeless, it"s often necessary for another person to take the initiative in seeking treatment. The first step in getting help is to talk to your child. "Many of us feel some sense of discomfort about this, but it"s important to ask, "How are you doing?"" Wren said. "Don"t be afraid to ask if they"re feeling sad or down, and don"t be afraid to ask if your child is having suicidal thoughts." Such a question does not increase the risk that a teen will make a suicide attempt, and will send the message that it"s OK to talk about the problem. "Then, if you believe your teen is depressed, it"s very important that they have an evaluation, ideally by a licensed mental health professional," Wren said. Some high school counseling centers have the right res for such an evaluation. Parents can also approach their primary care physician or minister for guidance to a mental health professional. Even if the teen does not want to be evaluated, mental health professionals can meet with the parent to discuss his or her concerns about their child, added Wren, who has extensive experience treating teens for depression and suicidal thoughts. It"s also important for parents to play a supportive role when their son or daughter is part of a community where a suicide has occurred. "You can say, "I find myself thinking about this,"" Wren said. "Knowing you want to talk to them opens the door for discussion with your children." Friends can also provide important support in such circumstances, especially by getting help from an adult if they suspect a teen they know is contemplating suicide. "Young people may worry that seeking help from an adult would be disloyal to their friend, but it is vital to get depression sufferers effective help," Wren said. Finally, Wren emphasized the importance of dispelling myths about teen suicide. "Every individual suicide is complicated," she said. "There is never a single event or a single thing said that fully explains a suicide." More information about Child and Adolescent Psychiatry services at Lucile Packard Children"s Hospital is available by calling (650) 723-5511 or online at http://www.psychiatry.lpch.org. In addition to seeking a mental health professional, parents and others concerned about a teen"s mental state can get information and help from the res below: http://tinyurl.com/lpchres Res for the media on responsible reporting about suicide are also available at the above link. Lucile Packard Children"s Hospital


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