110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. CON. RES. 134 
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 
Whereas mental illness is one of the leading causes of disabil-
ities in the United States, affecting one out of every four 
families in America and victimizing both those with the 
illness and those who care for and love those afflicted; 
Whereas according to the National Alliance for Mentally Ill 
(NAMI), 
the 
direct 
and 
indirect 
costs 
to 
the
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workplace resulting from mental illness total over 
$34,000,000 annually; 
Whereas the National Institute of Mental Health has re-
ported that many people suffer from more than one men-
tal disorder at a given time and 45 percent of those with 
any mental disorder meet criteria for two or more dis-
orders, with severity strongly related to comorbidity (in-
cluding diabetes, cardiovascular disease, HIV/AIDS, and 
cancer); 
Whereas according to the 1999 Surgeon General’s Report on 
Mental Illness, more than 54,000,000 Americans have a 
mental disorder in any given year, although fewer than 
8,000,000 seek treatment; 
Whereas according to the same Surgeon General’s Report on 
Mental Illness, adult Caucasians who suffer from depres-
sion or an anxiety disorder are more likely to receive 
treatment than adult African Americans with the same 
disorders even though the disorders occur in both groups 
at about the same rate, when taking into account socio-
economic factors; 
Whereas according to a report from the Office of Minority 
and National Affairs for the American Psychiatric Asso-
ciation, although mental illness impacts all people, Afri-
can Americans experience a much greater unmet need for 
mental health services and receive a lesser quality of 
care, thereby resulting in mental health disparities; 
Whereas the three major brain diseases—schizophrenia, bipo-
lar disorder, and depression—adversely affect the econ-
omy, contribute to the rise in incarceration rates, and 
erode the quality of family life of those involved;
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Whereas nearly two-thirds of all people with a diagnosable 
mental illness do not seek mental health treatment due 
to stigma, lack of community-based resources, inadequate 
diagnosis, or no diagnosis; 
Whereas communities of color are in need of culturally com-
petent mental health resources and the training of all 
health care providers to serve multi-ethnic consumers; 
Whereas advocacy for traditional mental health organizations 
must be encouraged to incorporate and integrate minority 
mental health education and outreach within their respec-
tive portfolios; 
Whereas other research studies estimate that 50 to 70 per-
cent of all youth in the juvenile justice system have men-
tal health problems that are usually undiagnosed, 
misdiagnosed, untreated, or badly treated, thus leaving 
those incarcerated in vulnerable conditions; 
Whereas minority mental health consumers often fall into the 
category of the ‘‘working poor’’, facing additional chal-
lenges because they are underinsured or uninsured, which 
often leads to late diagnosis or no diagnosis of mental ill-
ness; 
Whereas the faith, customs, values, and traditions of a vari-
ety of ethnic groups should be taken into consideration 
when attempting to treat and diagnose mental illnesses; 
Whereas a small percentage of African Americans receive 
mental health treatment, and a significant percentage 
refuse treatment or view mental health treatment as the 
‘‘treatment of last resort’’, due to the stigma associated 
with mental illness; 
Whereas according to the 1999 Surgeon General’s Report on 
Mental Illness, African Americans are misdiagnosed at a
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higher rate within the mental health delivery system, and 
greater effort must be made to accurately assess the 
mental health of African Americans; 
Whereas there is a need to improve public awareness of men-
tal illness and to strengthen local and national awareness 
of brain diseases in order to assist with advocacy for per-
sons of color with mental illness, so that they may receive 
adequate and appropriate treatment that will result in 
their becoming fully functioning members of society; 
Whereas community mobilization of resources is needed to 
educate, advocate for, and train mental health providers 
to help remove barriers to treatment of mental disorders; 
Whereas access to mental health treatment and services is of 
paramount importance; 
Whereas there is a need to encourage primary care physicians 
to offer screening, partner with mental health providers, 
and seek the appropriate referral to specialists and to en-
courage timely and accurate diagnosis; 
Whereas the late Bebe Moore Campbell (mother, grand-
mother, wife, friend, advocate, celebrated writer and jour-
nalist, noted author, radio commentator, community ac-
tivist, co-founder of National Alliance for the Mentally Ill 
Urban Los Angeles, University of Pittsburgh Trustee and 
educator, and recipient of numerous awards and honors) 
was recognized for her tireless advocacy and fight to 
bring awareness and attention to mental illness among 
minorities with the release of her New York Times best 
selling novel, ‘‘72 Hour Hold’’, and her children’s book 
‘‘Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry’’, which both bring 
awareness to the plight of those with brain disorders;
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Whereas Bebe Moore Campbell through her dedication and 
commitment sought to move communities to support 
mental wellness through effective treatment options, open 
access to mental health treatment and services, and im-
prove community outreach and support for the many 
loved ones who are unable to speak for themselves; and 
Whereas July would be an appropriate month to recognize as 
Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health 
Awareness Month: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that— 
(1) improved access to mental health treatment 
and services and public awareness of mental illness 
are of paramount importance; 
(2) there is an important need for improved ac-
cess to care, treatment, and services for those diag-
nosed with severe and persistent mental health dis-
orders and improved public awareness of mental ill-
ness; and 
(3) an appropriate month should be recognized 
as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental 
Health Awareness Month to enhance public aware-