Suicide Number Three Killer of Children in Michigan

http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/060130/cgm035.html?.v=35

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network Raise Awareness of
Youth Depression, Suicide Among Health Policy Leaders Throughout State

Monday January 30, 10:14 am ET
Companies partner with national health policy magazine to combat suicide as
the Number 3 killer of children in Michigan

DETROIT, Jan. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Astoundingly, suicide is the Number 3
killer of children in Michigan*. And efforts to prevent youth suicide in the
state are being strengthened because of a new education partnership forged
by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) and its HMO affiliate, Blue
Care Network (BCN) of Michigan, with a national mental health policy
magazine.

Thousands of Michigan stakeholders in school and healthcare settings will
receive the upcoming youth-themed issue of Advancing Suicide Prevention, a
professional publication that goes to 20,000 health policy leaders across
the country. Funding from BCBSM/BCN will expand this core circulation by
5,000 additional professionals throughout the state. These include leaders
and "gatekeepers" who can influence youth and policies affecting their
well-being -- school and university administrators and deans of students,
school boards, school psychologists, social workers in school and hospital
settings, municipal leaders, and other professionals throughout Michigan.
The Youth issue of Advancing Suicide Prevention magazine focuses on the
crisis of suicide among youth populations, the role of schools, and issues
that impede treatment of suicidal youths. It was published this month.

Suicide is the third leading cause of death for Michigan young people -- and
that makes it a major public health problem in the state, according to
health officials. Between the years 1999-2002, 583 Michigan youngsters age
10- 24 died by their own hand. Moreover, experts in suicide prevention say
that many of these deaths -- most of which are based in an underlying mental
illness -- can be prevented.

"Depression is a disease no one wants to talk about but it affects both
young and old alike, often with tragic consequences," states Beth Goldman,
M.D., a medical consultant for the Blues and adjunct clinical assistant
professor at the University of Michigan School of Medicine. "Untreated,
depression can result in needless suffering and even suicide. Up to 80
percent of those who receive treatment recover, often within weeks."

Dr. Goldman adds that it is estimated that as many as one in 33 children and
one in eight youths age 9 through 17 suffer from depression. Once a young
person experiences depression, he or she is at risk of another episode
within five years.

Sheryl F. Lowe, BCBSM director of Health Policy and Social Mission, notes
that "the company has an ongoing commitment to raise Michigan residents'
awareness of depression and its treatment and to helping direct those in
need to sources of care."

For more information about the Youth issue of Advancing Suicide Prevention
Magazine, visit http://www.advancingsp.com .

* According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the
CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at
http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/wisqars , which notes that between the years 1999-
2002 (the most recent year for which data is available), 583 children ages
10- 24 in Michigan took their own lives.

About Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit corporation, provides or
administers health care benefits to more than 4.7 million members through a
variety of plans: Traditional Blue Cross Blue Shield; Blue Preferred,
Community Blue and Health Blue PPOs; Blue Choice Point of Service; Blue Care
Network HMO and Flexible Blue Plans compatible with health savings accounts.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit
corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield
Association. As part of the Michigan Blues' social mission to help improve
the health status of state residents, the Blues fund activities that address
four public health issues, among them depression awareness and treatment
through its "Depression ... Real. Common. Treatable." public education
campaign. For more company information, visit bcbsm.com.

About Advancing Suicide Prevention

A unique strategic health policy magazine, Advancing Suicide Prevention
presents the state of the science and policy on suicide prevention from
diverse perspectives and for diverse audiences. These include over 20,000
leaders and key decision makers in health care, social and human services,
policy development, advocacy, education and training, research, legal and
judicial arenas, law enforcement, corrections, crisis intervention, risk
management and pastoral counseling. This 36-page color magazine is published
by PDV Communications, Inc., a Wisconsin-based magazine publisher serving
the mental health and social services arenas. For more information, visit
www.advancingsp.com .


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