III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 134 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 2, 2008 

Received and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and 

Pensions 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Congress that there should be 

established a Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority 

Mental Health Awareness Month to enhance public 

awareness of mental illness, especially within minority 

communities. 

Whereas mental illness is one of the leading causes of disabilities in the United States, affecting one out of every four 

families in America and victimizing both those with the 

illness and those who care for and love those afflicted; 

Whereas according to the National Alliance for Mentally Ill 

(NAMI), the direct and indirect costs to the 


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workplace resulting from mental illness total over 

$34,000,000 annually; 

Whereas the National Institute of Mental Health has reported that many people suffer from more than one mental disorder at a given time and 45 percent of those with 

any mental disorder meet criteria for two or more disorders, with severity strongly related to comorbidity (including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, HIV/AIDS, and 

cancer); 

Whereas according to the 1999 Surgeon General’s Report on 

Mental Illness, more than 54,000,000 Americans have a 

mental disorder in any given year, although fewer than 

8,000,000 seek treatment; 

Whereas according to the same Surgeon General’s Report on 

Mental Illness, adult Caucasians who suffer from depression or an anxiety disorder are more likely to receive 

treatment than adult African Americans with the same 

disorders even though the disorders occur in both groups 

at about the same rate, when taking into account socioeconomic factors; 

Whereas according to a report from the Office of Minority 

and National Affairs for the American Psychiatric Association, although mental illness impacts all people, African Americans experience a much greater unmet need for 

mental health services and receive a lesser quality of 

care, thereby resulting in mental health disparities; 

Whereas the three major brain diseases—schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression—adversely affect the economy, contribute to the rise in incarceration rates, and 

erode the quality of family life of those involved; 


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Whereas nearly two-thirds of all people with a diagnosable 

mental illness do not seek mental health treatment due 

to stigma, lack of community-based resources, inadequate 

diagnosis, or no diagnosis; 

Whereas communities of color are in need of culturally competent mental health resources and the training of all 

health care providers to serve multi-ethnic consumers; 

Whereas advocacy for traditional mental health organizations 

must be encouraged to incorporate and integrate minority 

mental health education and outreach within their respective portfolios; 

Whereas other research studies estimate that 50 to 70 percent of all youth in the juvenile justice system have mental health problems that are usually undiagnosed, 

misdiagnosed, untreated, or badly treated, thus leaving 

those incarcerated in vulnerable conditions; 

Whereas minority mental health consumers often fall into the 

category of the ‘‘working poor’’, facing additional challenges because they are underinsured or uninsured, which 

often leads to late diagnosis or no diagnosis of mental illness; 

Whereas the faith, customs, values, and traditions of a variety of ethnic groups should be taken into consideration 

when attempting to treat and diagnose mental illnesses; 

Whereas a small percentage of African Americans receive 

mental health treatment, and a significant percentage 

refuse treatment or view mental health treatment as the 

‘‘treatment of last resort’’, due to the stigma associated 

with mental illness; 

Whereas according to the 1999 Surgeon General’s Report on 

Mental Illness, African Americans are misdiagnosed at a 


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higher rate within the mental health delivery system, and 

greater effort must be made to accurately assess the 

mental health of African Americans; 

Whereas there is a need to improve public awareness of mental illness and to strengthen local and national awareness 

of brain diseases in order to assist with advocacy for persons of color with mental illness, so that they may receive 

adequate and appropriate treatment that will result in 

their becoming fully functioning members of society; 

Whereas community mobilization of resources is needed to 

educate, advocate for, and train mental health providers 

to help remove barriers to treatment of mental disorders; 

Whereas access to mental health treatment and services is of 

paramount importance; 

Whereas there is a need to encourage primary care physicians 

to offer screening, partner with mental health providers, 

and seek the appropriate referral to specialists and to encourage timely and accurate diagnosis; 

Whereas the late Bebe Moore Campbell (mother, grandmother, wife, friend, advocate, celebrated writer and journalist, noted author, radio commentator, community activist, co-founder of National Alliance for the Mentally Ill 

Urban Los Angeles, University of Pittsburgh Trustee and 

educator, and recipient of numerous awards and honors) 

was recognized for her tireless advocacy and fight to 

bring awareness and attention to mental illness among 

minorities with the release of her New York Times best 

selling novel, ‘‘72 Hour Hold’’, and her children’s book 

‘‘Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry’’, which both bring 

awareness to the plight of those with brain disorders; 


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Whereas Bebe Moore Campbell through her dedication and 

commitment sought to move communities to support 

mental wellness through effective treatment options, open 

access to mental health treatment and services, and improve community outreach and support for the many 

loved ones who are unable to speak for themselves; and 

Whereas July would be an appropriate month to recognize as 

Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health 

Awareness Month: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that— 

3 (1) improved access to mental health treatment 

4 and services and public awareness of mental illness 

5 are of paramount importance; 

6 (2) there is an important need for improved ac7 cess to care, treatment, and services for those diag8 nosed with severe and persistent mental health dis9 orders and improved public awareness of mental ill10 ness; and 

11 (3) an appropriate month should be recognized 

12 as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental 

13 Health Awareness Month to enhance public awareVerDate Aug 31 2005 23:06 Jun 02, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\HC134.RFS HC134

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1 ness of mental illness and mental illness among mi2 norities. 

Passed the House of Representatives May 21, 2008. 

Attest: LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk. 

By ROBERT F. REEVES, 

Deputy Clerk. 


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