IV 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1057 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that in order to effec-
tively address the high prevalence of those suffering from mental health 
conditions and substance use disorders, the United States needs to make 
historic financial investments into mental health and substance use dis-
order care and finally acknowledge such care as a priority in health 
care equal to physical health, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 21, 2020 
Mr. KENNEDY (for himself, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. TONKO, Mr. CA´RDENAS, and 
Mr. TRONE) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 
in order to effectively address the high prevalence of 
those suffering from mental health conditions and sub-
stance use disorders, the United States needs to make 
historic financial investments into mental health and sub-
stance use disorder care and finally acknowledge such 
care as a priority in health care equal to physical health, 
and for other purposes. 
Whereas there is an urgent need to improve our health care 
system to better integrate mental health and substance 
use disorders so they are no longer seen separately; 
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Whereas according to the World Health Organization, mental 
illness is severely underdiagnosed, and less than half of 
those who meet diagnostic criteria are identified; 
Whereas there is a pressing need to provide a comprehensive 
solution to fix our health system that incorporates the 
needs and expertise of all its stakeholders, especially 
those who have expertise in mental health and substance 
use disorders; 
Whereas it is essential to remove the misguided association 
between mental illness and violence driven by fear and 
misunderstanding; 
Whereas mental illness and substance use disorders have 
been underresearched, undertreated, and overstigmatized; 
Whereas stigma, vilification, and dismissal of mental illness 
and substance use— 
(1) create a culture that— 
(A) discourages utilization of mental health and 
substance use disorder services; and 
(B) lacks acknowledgment that struggling with 
mental health conditions or substance use disorder is 
not something to be ashamed of; and 
(2) can vary in prominence in different cultures and 
communities, and are particularly high among commu-
nities of color and minority communities; 
Whereas men in particular face cultural and societal barriers 
to seeking treatment for mental health concerns and sub-
stance use disorders, which can contribute to concerning 
outcomes including suicide and aggressive behaviors; 
Whereas the bulk of our mental health and substance use dis-
order services are reactive instead of proactive, treating 
patients when they are in crisis instead of incorporating 
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services and screenings earlier in an attempt to prevent 
such crisis from occurring; 
Whereas there is a need to increase access to treatment, serv-
ices, and social supports for everyone to proactively ad-
dress root causes of mental illness and substance use dis-
orders; 
Whereas it is necessary to address the root causes of mental 
health concerns and substance use disorders; 
Whereas it is necessary to address suicide in a holistic man-
ner and recognize and address suicide ideation and not 
just the action in isolation; 
Whereas there is a need to address social determinants of 
health, which are conditions that directly and indirectly 
affect the health, health care, and wellness of individuals 
and communities, in order to effectively provide care for 
all individuals living with mental illness and substance 
use disorders; 
Whereas mental health impacts physical health, and physical 
health impacts mental health; 
Whereas the current health care system does not adequately 
incorporate mental health and substance use disorders 
into the assessment or delivery of care, as evidenced by 
the fact that all vital signs are currently for physical 
health alone and do not touch on mental health or sub-
stance use disorders; 
Whereas the lack of a united approach across the Federal 
Government to improve mental health and substance use 
disorders has left States and localities— 
(1) without adequate guidance or resources; 
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(2) without resources unable to provide the mental 
health and substance use disorder services needed to ade-
quately meet the needs of their populations; and 
(3) with resources unable to effectively distribute 
services to adequately meet the needs of their popu-
lations; 
Whereas there is a need for greater collaboration across all 
Federal departments that touches various aspects of the 
health care system in order to fully incorporate the needs 
and concerns of everyone involved in the mental health 
and substance use disorder system; 
Whereas there is a need for greater collaboration between 
Federal, State, and local departments that touches on 
various aspects of the health care system; 
Whereas there is a need for one centralized location within 
the Federal Government for good, reliable information on 
mental health and substance use disorders for providers, 
patients, and caregivers; 
Whereas there is a need for standardized definitions, stand-
ards of care, and metrics for mental health and substance 
use disorders across disciplines; 
Whereas there is a need to change incentives for providers to 
better ensure everyone with mental health and substance 
use disorders needs gets access to the necessary care and 
treatment; 
Whereas the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equality 
Act has been in effect since 2008, and 12 years later 
there is still a lack of compliance among insurers not 
adequately covering mental health and substance use dis-
order services; 
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Whereas Medicaid is the single largest payer of mental health 
and substance use disorder services, and reimbursement 
is far from adequate; 
Whereas there is a need to incentivize payers to adequately 
cover mental health and substance use disorder services 
in the same manner that all specialty services are cov-
ered; 
Whereas there is a need to increase the number of mental 
health and substance use disorder providers; 
Whereas 55 percent of counties in the United States do not 
have a single psychiatrist, psychologist, or social worker; 
Whereas only 10 percent of people suffering from a substance 
use disorder receive specialty treatment; 
Whereas there is a need to increase access and utilization to 
telemedicine for mental health and substance use disorder 
services both within States and across State lines; 
Whereas patient privacy needs to be protected, but there 
needs to be a better way to share information among pro-
viders to better serve the patient’s needs; 
Whereas safe housing needs to be recognized as a basic re-
quirement for treatment to be successful and needs to be 
better addressed as people transition care; 
Whereas there is a need to improve social determinants of 
health, such as increased access to stable housing and 
jobs, for those suffering from mental illness and sub-
stance use disorders to have a sustained recovery; 
Whereas there is a need to provide care in more appropriate 
and integrated settings for all patients, such as treating 
geriatric patients in their homes as opposed to nursing 
homes, when appropriate and in compliance with the 
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Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (Public Law 
101–336) and the Supreme Court’s Olmstead v. L.C. de-
cision; 
Whereas there is a need for greater focus on intensive out-
patient, partial hospitalizations, residential programs, day 
programs, supported housing, assertive community treat-
ment, mobile crisis services, peer support services, sup-
ported employment, and community-based services for 
adults with mental illness and substance use disorders; 
Whereas there is a need to ensure that services support indi-
viduals with mental health conditions and substance use 
disorders to participate fully in their communities and 
live and thrive independently 
Whereas there needs to be consistent care coordination and 
more effective transition services for those moving be-
tween hospitals and the community; 
Whereas there is a need to address isolation issues geriatric 
patients face which can negatively impact their mental 
health; 
Whereas depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and psy-
chosis are some of the most common conditions women 
experience pre- and postpartum; 
Whereas unmet parental mental health and substance use 
disorder treatment and service needs contribute to in-
creased involvement with the child welfare system, which 
leads to preventable foster care placements, given that— 
(1) in 2018, 262,956 children entered foster care, 
with the leading reasons related to mental health and 
substance use disorder needs of the parents, with— 
(A) 36 percent of children entering care as a 
result of parental drug abuse; 
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