IV 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 474 
Recognizing the important contribution and added value of mental health 
and psychosocial support services and the importance of building such 
capacity in humanitarian and development contexts. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 9, 2015 
Ms. MCCOLLUM (for herself, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, and Mrs. NAPOLITANO) sub-
mitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Foreign Af-
fairs, 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 
Recognizing the important contribution and added value of 
mental health and psychosocial support services and the 
importance of building such capacity in humanitarian 
and development contexts. 
Whereas mental, neurological, and substance use disorders 
are one of the great invisible public health challenges in 
all societies and the leading cause of disability worldwide; 
Whereas the World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 
4 people will experience an episode of a mental or neuro-
logical disorder, such as schizophrenia, depression, epi-
lepsy, dementia, or a substance-use disorder, in their life-
time; 
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•HRES 474 IH 
Whereas the World Health Organization ranked depression as 
the third highest cause of disease burden globally and has 
projected that depression will become the leading cause 
by 2030; 
Whereas mental health problems can affect a person’s ability 
to function, carry out day-to-day tasks, and establish or 
maintain relationships with others; 
Whereas effective mental health and psychosocial well-being 
are essential for adapting to new situations, responding 
to challenges, and coping with crises; 
Whereas it is estimated that after humanitarian emergencies, 
the percentage of the population experiencing common 
mental disorders doubles, while those individuals with 
pre-existing and severe mental illnesses remain especially 
vulnerable and often have no access to care; 
Whereas in high-income countries, approximately half of the 
people afflicted with mental disorders do not receive ap-
propriate care and in low-income countries, the figure is 
even higher at approximately 85–90 percent; 
Whereas the global cost of mental illness in 2010 was $2.5 
trillion and this cost is projected to rise above $6 trillion 
by 2030, yet the amount of development assistance for 
global mental health between 2007 and 2013 was only 
$133.57 million, which represents less than 1 percent of 
all development assistance; 
Whereas integrating mental health and psychosocial support 
into other sectors supports population health, economic 
development, and political stability; 
Whereas integrating mental health into general health care 
by building capacity of staff and health facilities can cre-
ate accessible and nonstigmatizing mental health services; 
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•HRES 474 IH 
Whereas in 2012, the Sixty-fifth World Health Assembly 
adopted resolution WHA65.4, which then resulted in the 
introduction of the Global Mental Health Action Plan 
2013–2020 by the World Health Organization; 
Whereas the overarching goal of the Global Mental Health 
Action Plan is to promote mental well-being, prevent 
mental disorders, provide care, enhance recovery, promote 
human rights, and reduce the mortality, morbidity, and 
disability for persons with mental disorders; and 
Whereas there is an urgent need to create accessible, quality 
mental health services in line with national and global 
guidelines by designing comprehensive and culturally, de-
velopmentally, and linguistically appropriate programs 
that build local human resource capacity and strengthen 
health systems: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) affirms the continued support of the United 
States for making resources available to provide 
mental health and psychosocial support services and 
build capacity in low-resource settings and in con-
flict and crisis-affected countries; 
(2) recognizes the importance of trained mental 
health workers in restoring functioning, enhancing 
well-being, and saving lives through the increased 
availability of high-quality and culturally acceptable 
mental health and psychosocial support services, as 
well as the important contributions and lived experi-
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