IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 480 
Acknowledging the racial disparities in diagnosing and treating mental health 
among youth in communities of color. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 9, 2019 
Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN (for herself, Mr. HORSFORD, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. 
OMAR, Ms. JOHNSON of Texas, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Ms. 
MOORE, Mr. COHEN, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. PRESSLEY, Ms. NORTON, 
Mr. PAYNE, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Ms. LEE of California, Ms. CLARKE 
of New York, Mr. CARSON of Indiana, Ms. MUCARSEL-POWELL, Mr. 
KHANNA, Ms. BASS, and Mr. ESPAILLAT) submitted the following resolu-
tion; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and 
in addition to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to 
be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consider-
ation of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
concerned 
RESOLUTION 
Acknowledging the racial disparities in diagnosing and 
treating mental health among youth in communities of color. 
Whereas ‘‘mental health disorders among youth’’ is defined 
by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as se-
rious changes in the way youth typically learn, behave, or 
handle their emotions, which causes distress and prob-
lems getting through the day; 
Whereas 20 percent of youth between the ages of 13 and 18 
live with a mental health condition; 
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Whereas 50 percent of all lifetime cases for mental illness 
begin by age 14, and 75 percent by age 24; 
Whereas there has been an increase of youth diagnosed with 
mental disorders such as anxiety and depression in recent 
years; 
Whereas relative to White adolescents, Hispanic, Native 
American, and Pacific Islander adolescents receive less 
treatment for anxiety disorders over their lifetime; 
Whereas Black and Hispanic adolescents receive less treat-
ment for mood disorders, such as depression, over their 
lifetime; 
Whereas Black and Hispanic youth are about half as likely 
as their White counterparts to get mental health care; 
Whereas suicide is the second leading cause of death for peo-
ple 10 to 34 years of age, and suicide rates in the United 
States are closely correlated to poverty rates of which 
there is a disparity based on race; 
Whereas 70 percent of youth in State and local juvenile jus-
tice systems, which are disproportionately comprised of 
Black and Hispanic youth, have a mental illness; 
Whereas due to stigmas and a shortage of culturally appro-
priate behavioral health services, youth in different com-
munities of color do not always reach out for help to ad-
dress mental illness; 
Whereas 
racial 
discrimination 
and 
other 
psychosocial 
stressors, such as police harassment, violence, trauma, 
implicit bias, and racism, are contributing factors to anx-
iety disorders, behavior disorders, and suicide; 
Whereas diversity in the mental and behavioral health work-
force continues to be an important issue due to the lack 
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of recruitment and retention of racial, ethnic, sexual ori-
entation and gender identity minorities, and people with 
disabilities, resulting in a shortage of trained providers to 
deliver culturally competent evidence-based promotion, 
prevention, and treatment services for children, which 
contributes to mental and behavioral health disparities; 
and 
Whereas it is the duty of Congress to promote the general 
welfare for the American people, especially ensuring the 
wellbeing of all of America’s youth: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep-
resentatives that— 
(1) the House of Representatives should ac-
knowledge the horrific toll that mental illness has 
had on the youth of America; 
(2) the House of Representatives should ac-
knowledge that youth from communities of color face 
racial disparities when it comes to access and treat-
ment of mental illness; 
(3) gaining access to mental health resources is 
a necessity and should be available to everyone re-
gardless of race or ethnicity; 
(4) the House of Representatives needs to take 
immediate action to address these disparities and 
ensure that those who need treatment can receive it; 
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(5) the House of Representatives needs to en-
sure Federal funding is provided for mental health 
professionals in schools and afterschool programs; 
(6) funding and training needs to be available 
to any parent, supervisor, or other professional who 
work with youth of color so they have a greater 
awareness of the signs and symptoms so that the 
children and adolescents can get connected to serv-
ices; 
(7) more research and awareness need to be 
done by the Federal Government, especially within 
the Department of Health and Human Services and 
by the National Institute on Minority Health and 
Health Disparities, on what can be done to help 
youth in communities of color gain access to mental 
health resources; and 
(8) the Federal Government, especially the De-
partment of Health and Human Services and the 
Department of Education, should research best 
practices and incentives for those considering edu-
cation in wanting to work in the mental health field, 
and how it can help increase the number of eth-
nically and racially diverse professionals. 
Æ 
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