Title: Acknowledging the racial disparities in diagnosing and treating mental health among youth in communities of color.
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This resolution acknowledges the disparities in diagnosing and treating mental health issues among youth from communities of color and expresses support for researching best practices, increasing access to care, funding education and training programs, and increasing diversity among mental health professionals.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 480 Introduced in House (IH)]

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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. Velazquez, Ms. Barragan, 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 resolution; 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 consideration 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 serious changes in the way youth 
        typically learn, behave, or handle their emotions, which causes distress 
        and problems getting through the day;
Whereas 20 percent of youth between the ages of 13 and 18 live with a mental 
        health condition;
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 treatment 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 people 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 justice systems, which 
        are disproportionately comprised of Black and Hispanic youth, have a 
        mental illness;
Whereas due to stigmas and a shortage of culturally appropriate behavioral 
        health services, youth in different communities of color do not always 
        reach out for help to address mental illness;
Whereas racial discrimination and other psychosocial stressors, such as police 
        harassment, violence, trauma, implicit bias, and racism, are 
        contributing factors to anxiety disorders, behavior disorders, and 
        suicide;
Whereas diversity in the mental and behavioral health workforce continues to be 
        an important issue due to the lack of recruitment and retention of 
        racial, ethnic, sexual orientation 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 Representatives 
that--
            (1) the House of Representatives should acknowledge the 
        horrific toll that mental illness has had on the youth of 
        America;
            (2) the House of Representatives should acknowledge that 
        youth from communities of color face racial disparities when it 
        comes to access and treatment of mental illness;
            (3) gaining access to mental health resources is a 
        necessity and should be available to everyone regardless 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;
            (5) the House of Representatives needs to ensure 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 services;
            (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 Department of 
        Health and Human Services and the Department of Education, 
        should research best practices and incentives for those 
        considering education in wanting to work in the mental health 
        field, and how it can help increase the number of ethnically 
        and racially diverse professionals.
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