IV 
114TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 297 
Expressing support for designation of the first full week of May as ‘‘National 
Mental Health No Stigma Week’’. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JUNE 3, 2015 
Mr. PETERS (for himself, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. RANGEL, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. 
FATTAH, Ms. BORDALLO, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. HASTINGS, Ms. JACKSON 
LEE, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Mr. YARMUTH, Mr. SABLAN, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, 
Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. LEE, Mr. DELANEY, Mrs. DAVIS of California, Ms. 
SPEIER, Mr. RYAN of Ohio, Mr. LOEBSACK, Mr. VARGAS, Ms. KELLY of 
Illinois, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. MOORE, Ms. NORTON, Ms. JUDY CHU of 
California, Mr. THOMPSON of California, and Mrs. DINGELL) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Over-
sight and Government Reform 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing support for designation of the first full week 
of May as ‘‘National Mental Health No Stigma Week’’. 
Whereas it is in the best interest of the United States to in-
crease awareness regarding the negative stigma associ-
ated with mental illness; 
Whereas stigma is a very real problem for people who have 
a mental illness; 
Whereas every person needs and deserves to feel a sense of 
belonging, and not be excluded or ostracized; 
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•HRES 297 IH 
Whereas the most formidable obstacle to future progress in 
the area of mental health is stigma, and today, the 
United States has the power to tear down that obstacle; 
Whereas throughout the United States, there are efforts by 
public and private mental health agencies that work tire-
lessly to educate the public about the harmful effects of 
stigma; 
Whereas some of the harmful effects of stigma include trying 
to pretend nothing is wrong, refusal to seek treatment, 
rejection by family and friends, work or school problems 
or discrimination, difficulty finding housing, being sub-
jected to physical violence or harassment, and inadequate 
health insurance coverage of mental illnesses; 
Whereas 1 in 4 adults, approximately 61,500,000 people in 
the United States, experiences mental illness in a given 
year and 1 in 17, approximately 13,600,000 live with a 
serious mental illness; 
Whereas approximately 20 percent of youth ages 13 to 18 
and approximately 13 percent of those ages 8 to 15 expe-
rience severe mental disorders in a given year; 
Whereas while 1 in 5 people in the United States lives with 
a mental disorder, estimates indicate that nearly two- 
thirds of all people with a diagnosable mental illness do 
not seek treatment, especially people from diverse com-
munities; 
Whereas despite civil rights laws, such as the Americans with 
Disabilities Act of 1990, people with mental illnesses 
often experience discrimination in education, housing, 
health care, and the workplace; 
Whereas according to the California Mental Health Services 
Oversight and Accountability Commission’s report of 
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•HRES 297 IH 
2007, a public education campaign can improve the 
public’s awareness of unmet needs and reduce the harm-
ful effects of stigma and discrimination; and 
Whereas the first full week of May would be an appropriate 
week to designate as ‘‘National Mental Health No Stig-
ma Week’’: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives supports 
the designation of ‘‘National Mental Health No Stigma 
Week’’. 
Æ 
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