IV 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 860 

Expressing support for raising awareness about the growing population of 

young adults living with chronic health conditions in the United States. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 9, 2023 

Mr. RASKIN submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee 

on Education and the Workforce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for raising awareness about the growing 

population of young adults living with chronic health 

conditions in the United States. 

Whereas due to advances in medicine and biotechnology, 

many young people with serious conditions including cystic fibrosis, sickle cell disease, cancer, cerebral palsy, diabetes, and complex congenital heart disease are now living into adulthood; 

Whereas the overall percentage of children in the United 

States with chronic conditions has increased in recent 

decades, and today more than 26 percent of children in 

the United States have special health care needs, defined 


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•HRES 860 IH 

as having or being at increased risk for chronic physical, 

developmental, behavioral, or emotional conditions; 

Whereas, between 2011 and 2017, approximately 4,500,000 

youth in the United States with special health care needs 

transitioned from pediatric care to adult health care; 

Whereas while definitions of ‘‘young adult’’ vary, many scholars consider individuals aged 18 to 34 to be young 

adults; 

Whereas a 2015 National Academies report stated that 

young adults are a distinct population from adolescents 

and older adults, and will benefit from targeted studies, 

research, policies, and programs; 

Whereas proactive and preventive care for young adults living 

with chronic conditions is essential for improving their 

health and quality of life, and for reducing the overall 

cost of care; 

Whereas medical research has demonstrated the need for a 

holistic lifespan approach to chronic disease management 

that integrates physical, mental, and behavioral health; 

Whereas former Surgeon General Dr. C. Everett Koop, 

speaking about adolescents and young people with chronic conditions in 1989, presciently warned of the ‘‘barriers 

they encounter and must surmount if they are to secure 

ongoing quality medical care as they make the transition 

from childhood to adulthood’’; 

Whereas the United States health care system often does not 

adequately address the unique needs of young adults with 

chronic conditions, and too often they remain a largely 

invisible population in research and policymaking; 

Whereas a 2015 National Academies report found that ‘‘the 

transition from pediatric to adult providers is confusing 


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and difficult, especially for those with behavioral health 

problems or a chronic condition’’, and that the challenges 

include a lack of training in childhood-onset conditions 

among adult providers, poor communication between 

child and adult providers and systems of care, and discontinuities in care; 

Whereas the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine has 

found that young adults with chronic conditions who belong to marginalized groups are less likely to experience 

a successful transition to the adult health care system, 

including youth emerging from the foster care system or 

the juvenile justice system, youth of color, and youth 

from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds; 

Whereas young adults are the age group in the United States 

least likely to have health insurance, with 2022 Census 

data indicating that 14 percent of young adults ages 19 

to 25 are uninsured and 12.5 percent of young adults 

ages 26 to 34 are uninsured; 

Whereas young adults with chronic conditions sometimes 

struggle to find institutional support for their conditions 

in educational settings and in the workplace; 

Whereas the mental health crisis among young people has become more severe since the onset of the COVID–19 pandemic, with approximately one-third of young adults living with mental illness, and young adults with chronic 

conditions are at higher risk of secondary mental health 

conditions; 

Whereas young adults with chronic conditions who do not receive high-quality, appropriate care are at risk for poor 

health outcomes and missing important social, educational, and economic milestones; 


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Whereas young adults who have chronic conditions are at 

higher risk of mortality from their illness and from mental health conditions, and national data, studies, and policy action are urgently needed in this area; and 

Whereas when young adults with chronic conditions face barriers to fulfilling their full potential, it has harmful consequences for our whole society: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports efforts to increase awareness of 

3 the unique challenges faced by young adults strug4 gling with chronic conditions in the United States; 

5 (2) reaffirms the importance of research and 

6 interagency data sharing on the population of young 

7 adults who have chronic conditions; and 

8 (3) recognizes the importance of improving 

9 quality of life, health care access, and higher edu10 cation and employment outcomes for all young 

11 adults with chronic conditions. 

Æ 


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