IV 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 764 
Recognizing the continuing disparities in Black youth mental health access 
and treatment. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 23, 2025 
Mrs. WATSON COLEMAN (for herself, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. THOMPSON 
of Mississippi, Mr. FIELDS, Ms. NORTON, Mrs. MCIVER, Ms. TLAIB, Mr. 
FIGURES, Ms. CLARKE of New York, Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. 
THANEDAR, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CARSON, Ms. SCANLON, Mr. TONKO, Mrs. 
BEATTY, Mr. CLEAVER, Mr. BELL, Mr. JACKSON of Illinois, Mr. EVANS 
of Pennsylvania, and Mr. ESPAILLAT) submitted the following resolution; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
RESOLUTION 
Recognizing the continuing disparities in Black youth mental 
health access and treatment. 
Whereas September is National Suicide Prevention Month; 
Whereas suicide is the third leading cause of death for 14- 
to 18-year-olds; 
Whereas the suicide rate among Black adolescents is increas-
ing faster than other racial and ethnic groups; 
Whereas, from 2007 to 2023, the suicide rate rose 149 per-
cent for Black adolescents age 10 to 17; 
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Whereas, in 2023, 1 in 5 Black high school students reported 
having seriously considered attempting suicide in the past 
year; 
Whereas that same year nearly 16 percent of those students 
made a suicide plan, and 10.3 percent reported attempt-
ing suicide; 
Whereas nearly 2 percent of Black high school students re-
quired medical attention as a result of their suicide at-
tempt; 
Whereas, while the overall youth suicide rate is trending 
downwards, the suicide rate for Black youth is showing 
a rise in most data; 
Whereas Black adolescents are significantly less likely than 
peers in other demographic groups to receive mental 
healthcare; 
Whereas, in 2019, the Congressional Black Caucus estab-
lished the Emergency Task Force on Black Youth Sui-
cide and Mental Health to investigate the alarming rate 
of Black youth suicide; 
Whereas the Task Force held hearings, forums, events, and 
listening sessions to identify both the causes and poten-
tial solutions to this burgeoning crisis; 
Whereas, with the help of a working group of experts in the 
field of mental health research and policy, the Task 
Force published a report entitled ‘‘Ring the Alarm: The 
Crisis of Black Youth Suicide in America’’; 
Whereas the report made several recommendations to address 
the growing disparities in mental healthcare for Black 
youth, including— 
(1) increasing the amount of research into topics re-
lating to Black youth mental health and suicide at the 
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National Institute of Health (NIH) and the National In-
stitute of Mental Health (NIMH); 
(2) increasing funding and resources for Black re-
searchers who focused on these topics; 
(3) funding and demonstrating evidence-based inter-
ventions targeting Black youth suicidal behaviors and de-
pression in schools and other settings, including through 
government programs, public-private partnerships, and in 
collaboration with faith-based organizations; 
(4) promoting the best and most promising practices 
that address the needs of Black youth; and 
(5) establishing and funding an awareness campaign 
about Black youth suicidal behaviors; 
Whereas, during the last administration, many positive devel-
opments took place, including the introduction of the 988 
Lifeline, increased research and support to address the 
disparities in Black youth mental health, and increased 
funding in mental health programs that support children 
and adolescents; 
Whereas, under the current administration, much of that 
progress has been reversed through cuts to research 
grants, termination of mental health services to schools, 
and the elimination of any reference or association with 
minority mental health; 
Whereas mental health is, and should remain, a non-partisan 
issue that needs the full support of the United States 
Congress; and 
Whereas the benefits of what was achieved since the release 
of the ‘‘Ring the Alarm’’ report must be protected, and 
the Federal Government must continue addressing dis-
parities in mental healthcare: Now, therefore, be it 
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Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) recognizes the continuing disparities in 
Black youth mental health access and treatment; 
(2) calls on the current administration to ad-
dress these disparities by continuing the work of the 
previous administration and incorporating rec-
ommendations from ‘‘Ring the Alarm: The Crisis of 
Black Youth Suicide in America’’; 
(3) recognizes the importance of creating con-
versations in Black communities regarding mental 
health, encouraging individuals to seek help to pre-
vent suicide and suicide attempts, and providing 
education programming, such as L.E.T.S. Save 
Lives, to reduce cultural stigma, foster conversations 
about mental health, and raise awareness of suicide 
prevention; 
(4) calls for increased funding for all programs 
supporting mental health; and 
(5) supports the Substance Abuse and Mental 
Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) remain-
ing an independent agency and not being absorbed 
into the Administration for a Healthy America 
(AHA). 
Æ 
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