III 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 235 

Supporting the designation of the week of May 7, 2023, as ‘‘Children’s 

Mental Health Awareness Week’’ and May 11, 2023, as ‘‘Children’s 

Mental Health Awareness Day’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 1, 2023 

Mr. KING (for himself, Mr. CORNYN, and Mr. PADILLA) submitted the 

following resolution; which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Supporting the designation of the week of May 7, 2023, 

as ‘‘Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week’’ and May 

11, 2023, as ‘‘Children’s Mental Health Awareness 

Day’’. 

Whereas children in the United States have been documented 

to have undergone an acute public health crisis of mental 

and behavioral health for many years, even before the additional challenges of the COVID–19 pandemic; 

Whereas a 2022 study found as many as 1 in 5 children in 

the United States have a mental, emotional, or behavioral 

health condition; 

Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 

based on survey data from the Youth Risk behavior survey, estimate that, in 2021, more than 4 in 10 (42 perVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:08 Jun 02, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR235.ATS SR235

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•SRES 235 ATS 

cent) high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless, and nearly 1 in 3 (29 percent) experienced poor 

mental health; 

Whereas, in 2019, according to the Census Bureau, over 11 

percent of children aged 3 to 17 received treatment or 

counseling from a mental health professional; 

Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 

Prevention, suicide is— 

(1) the second leading cause of death among individuals aged 10 to 14; 

(2) the third leading cause of death among individuals aged 15 to 24; and 

(3) the tenth leading cause of death for individuals 

aged 5 to 9; 

Whereas there has been a significant increase in demand for 

mental health services for children, including a more than 

30 percent increase in mental health visits to emergency 

departments for children aged 12 to 17 from 2019 to 

April 2020; 

Whereas barriers exist to access to mental health delivery 

systems, particularly impacting children and adults who 

have been exposed to adverse childhood experiences; and 

Whereas the stigma surrounding mental and behavioral 

health persists, and acknowledging this public health crisis and creating awareness as early as possible is as important as ever: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes the importance of connecting 

3 children with appropriate mental and behavioral 

4 health services and supports; 


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•SRES 235 ATS 

1 (2) seeks to create awareness for the additional 

2 challenges children and their families have faced 

3 during the COVID–19 pandemic due to isolation 

4 from family and peers, barriers to services, and ex5 posure to traumas; 

6 (3) supports programs and services aimed at 

7 providing access to care, building resiliency, and ad8 dressing trauma; and 

9 (4) shows appreciation and gratitude for family 

10 members, friends, educators, mental and behavioral 

11 health service providers, and others in their support 

12 for the mental health and well-being of children. 

Æ 


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