IV

106TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. RES. 133

Recognizing the significance to society of issues relating to mental illness

and expressing full support for the White House Conference on Mental

Health.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 25, 1999

Mrs. CAPPS (for herself, Mrs. ROUKEMA, Ms. KAPTUR, Mrs. JOHNSON of Connecticut, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. SHAYS, Mr. WAXMAN,

Mrs. MORELLA, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. HORN, Mr. LEACH, Mr. GEJDENSON, Mrs. KELLY, Mrs. BONO, Ms. PELOSI, Mrs. CHRISTENSEN, Mr.

MCNULTY, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. FARR of California, Mr. GREEN of Texas,

Mr. SHOWS, Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York, Mr. STARK, Mr. BAIRD, Mr.

FRANK of Massachusetts, Ms. DELAURO, Ms. KILPATRICK, Mr. FILNER,

Mr. WISE, Mr. PAYNE, Mr. SNYDER, Mr. BALDACCI, Mr. NADLER, Mrs.

NAPOLITANO, Ms. NORTON, Mr. UNDERWOOD, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. PRICE

of North Carolina, Mr. FROST, Mr. CLEMENT, Mr. MEEHAN, Mr. MATSUI, Mrs. MALONEY of New York, Mr. SANDLIN, Mr. GONZALEZ, Mr.

ROMERO-BARCELO ́, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Mr. ROEMER, Mrs. JONES of

Ohio, Ms. BERKLEY, Ms. MILLENDER-MCDONALD, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of

Texas, Ms. LEE, Mr. RANGEL, Mr. LUTHER, Ms. CARSON, Mr. SERRANO,

Mr. MALONEY of Connecticut, Ms. WOOLSEY, Mr. LAFALCE, Mr. BENTSEN, Mr. STRICKLAND, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. FOLEY, Ms. STABENOW,

Mr. NEAL of Massachusetts, Ms. RIVERS, Mrs. CLAYTON, Ms. LOFGREN,

Ms. BROWN of Florida, Ms. SANCHEZ, Mr. BERMAN, Mr. LANTOS, Mr.

RAHALL, Mr. RUSH, Mr. WYNN, Mr. TRAFICANT, Mrs. THURMAN, Mr.

THOMPSON of Mississippi, Ms. DANNER, Mr. JEFFERSON, Mr. CROWLEY,

Mrs. MEEK of Florida, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. DIXON, Mr.

CUMMINGS, Mr. SCOTT, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. HASTINGS of Florida, Ms.

MCKINNEY, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, and Ms. ROYBALALLARD) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on Commerce
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•HRES 133 IH

RESOLUTION

Recognizing the significance to society of issues relating to

mental illness and expressing full support for the White

House Conference on Mental Health.

Whereas in June 1999 the White House will hold the White

House Conference on Mental Health;

Whereas the conference is the result of the work of Mrs. Tipper Gore, the mental health policy advisor to the President;

Whereas Mrs. Gore has devoted much of her life to raising

awareness of issues related to mental health and has both

an informed understanding of the issues to be explored

at the conference and an appreciation of the complexities

of the issues;

Whereas mental illnesses are a variety of different disorders

of the brain, many of which often result in challenges in

coping with the ordinary demands of life;

Whereas persons with mental illnesses often need a continuum of care that may include job training, child care,

substance abuse treatment, and mental health services;

Whereas States, communities, providers, and insurance agencies have ethical obligations to provide humane and effective treatment to persons with mental illnesses who are

in correctional settings;

Whereas approximately 10,000,000 adults in the United

States suffer serious and chronic effects from mental illness, and 3,500,000 to 4,000,000 children suffer from

emotional disturbance;

Whereas mental illnesses can affect persons of any gender,

age, race, ethnicity, religion, or income;
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•HRES 133 IH

Whereas mental illnesses are highly treatable for people of all

ages;

Whereas issues relating to mental illness have failed to receive national attention at levels that are commensurate

with their significance to society;

Whereas stigmas associated with mental illness are detrimental to receiving appropriate diagnosis, treatment, and

care for persons with mental illnesses;

Whereas persons with mental illnesses experience discriminatory practices in access to availability of appropriate care;

Whereas the conference will bring together mental health providers, consumers, State officials and other public officials, and representatives of private-sector entities and

foundations to develop strategies for eliminating the stigmas relating to mental illness and for encouraging a

healthy environment where persons with mental illnesses

can receive the diagnosis, treatment, and care that they

need; and

Whereas the conference will highlight promising methods to

reduce discrimination and improve prevention and treatment, and will explore new actions that public agencies

and private entities can take to improve the lives of persons with mental illnesses: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives—

2 (1) recognizes the significance to society of

3 issues relating to mental illness; and

4 (2) expresses full support for the White House

5 Conference on Mental Health.

Æ