Title: Expressing support for the designation of May 2019 as "Mental Health Awareness Month".
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This resolution expresses support for the designation of Mental Health Awareness Month to remove the stigma associated with mental illness and to place emphasis on scientific findings regarding mental health recovery.

[Congressional Bills 116th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 337 Introduced in House (IH)]

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116th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 337

 Expressing support for the designation of May 2019 as ``Mental Health 
                           Awareness Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 1, 2019

 Mrs. Napolitano (for herself, Mr. Katko, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Grijalva, 
 Ms. Norton, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Cisneros, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. 
    Hastings, Ms. Moore, Mr. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York, Mr. 
Espaillat, Mr. Cox of California, Mr. Beyer, Mr. Tonko, Mrs. Radewagen, 
  Mr. Schiff, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Thompson of California, Ms. Lee of 
  California, Ms. Hill of California, Mr. Loebsack, Mr. Cardenas, Ms. 
Johnson of Texas, Ms. Kendra S. Horn of Oklahoma, Ms. Mucarsel-Powell, 
Mrs. Craig, Ms. Roybal-Allard, Ms. Porter, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. Stewart, 
 Mrs. Lee of Nevada, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mrs. Dingell, Mr. Rush, Ms. 
Judy Chu of California, Mr. Kilmer, Ms. Titus, Mr. Ryan, Ms. McCollum, 
  and Ms. Brownley of California) submitted the following resolution; 
       which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing support for the designation of May 2019 as ``Mental Health 
                           Awareness Month''.

Whereas the mental health and well-being of people in the United States is a 
        vital issue that affects not only quality of life, but also the health 
        of communities, families, and economic stability;
Whereas individuals with mental health conditions and other behavioral health 
        disorders can and do recover with clinical treatment and social 
        supports, including medications, psychotherapies, psychosocial 
        rehabilitation, counseling services, and peer support;
Whereas recovery begins with self-directed care, and parents, families, and 
        caregivers are allies in recovery and serve as critical members of the 
        care delivery team;
Whereas advances in brain science and behavioral research show significant 
        promise for continued improvements in effective treatments of mental 
        illness;
Whereas the increasing diversity of our country underlies both the need and 
        importance of accessing culturally and linguistically appropriate 
        services;
Whereas Adverse Childhood Experiences can contribute significantly to negative 
        adult mental health outcomes;
Whereas approximately 1 in 5 children and adolescents has a diagnosable mental 
        disorder at any one point in time, and 50 percent of all mental 
        disorders begin by age 14, and 75 percent by age 24;
Whereas nearly half of children with a mental health disorder did not receive 
        needed treatment or counseling from a mental health professional in the 
        past year;
Whereas the preschool to 12th grade educational system is the best environment 
        to nurture healthy social emotional skills and identify and intervene 
        early with youth experiencing mental health issues;
Whereas more mental health school staff and resources should be utilized to 
        focus on prevention and early intervention in educational systems to 
        ensure healthy minds;
Whereas 65 to 70 percent of youth in contact with the juvenile justice system 
        have a diagnosable mental health disorder;
Whereas an estimated 44.7 million adults in the United States experience mental 
        illness;
Whereas an estimated 10.4 million adults in the United States experience 
        conditions such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major 
        depression;
Whereas millions of children, adolescents, and adults in the United States with 
        a diagnosis of serious mental illness do not receive treatment;
Whereas 35 percent of young adults, ages 18 to 25, with any mental illness and 
        56 percent of young adults with a serious mental illness report a 
        perceived unmet need for mental health services, rates that are higher 
        than any other adult age groups;
Whereas there is a national shortage of trained mental health professionals and 
        the California Future Health Workforce Commission has stated that 
        without dramatic policy changes, ``California will have 41% fewer 
        psychiatrists and 11% fewer psychologists, marriage and family 
        therapists, clinical counselors, and social workers than it will need by 
        2030'';
Whereas the national suicide rate has increased over 30 percent since 1999;
Whereas every year over 10 million Americans experience suicidal thoughts;
Whereas annually 1.4 million Americans attempt suicide;
Whereas 129 Americans die by suicide each day;
Whereas nearly 1 million years of potential life are lost to suicide before age 
        65 every year;
Whereas veterans have a suicide rate 1.5 times higher than nonveteran adults;
Whereas the combined medical and work-loss costs of suicide are nearly $70 
        billion;
Whereas suicide is the second-leading cause of death among individuals between 
        the ages of 10 and 34;
Whereas 1 in 4 Latina adolescent girls report contemplating suicide, a rate 
        higher than any other demographic;
Whereas Native Americans currently rank as the top ethnicity for suicide rates 
        among young people nationwide;
Whereas lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth are more than four times 
        more likely to attempt suicide than their peers, and up to 40 percent of 
        all trans people have made a suicide attempt, many before the age of 25;
Whereas firearms account for more than half of all deaths by suicide;
Whereas post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) impacts 14 to 24 percent of 
        servicemembers and veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq;
Whereas roughly 20 to 50 percent of all prison and jail inmates are diagnosed 
        with a mental illness;
Whereas mental illness is the leading cause of disability in the Nation;
Whereas untreated mental illness is a leading cause of absenteeism and 
        presenteeism resulting in lost earnings and productivity in the 
        workplace and costs the United States economy over $193 billion per year 
        in lost earnings;
Whereas studies report that people with serious mental illness die, on average, 
        25 years earlier than the general population;
Whereas those with mental illness are 11 times more likely to be the victims of 
        crime and abuse;
Whereas the delay between a first episode of psychosis and onset of treatment is 
        an average of 74 weeks;
Whereas stigma, shame, and discrimination associated with mental illness 
        continue to persist;
Whereas recovery-oriented interventions such as supported employment, supported 
        housing, and supported education have been shown to improve outcomes;
Whereas the faith community may provide a vital link in ministering and serving 
        individuals and families in need of mental health services;
Whereas individuals connected to peer support services are better connected to 
        their community and services and utilize crisis and emergency services 
        less; and
Whereas it would be appropriate to observe May 2019 as ``Mental Health Awareness 
        Month'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports the designation of ``Mental Health Awareness 
        Month'' to remove the stigma associated with mental illness and 
        place emphasis on scientific findings regarding mental health 
        recovery;
            (2) recognizes mental well-being is equally as important as 
        physical well-being for citizens, communities, businesses, and 
        the economy in the United States;
            (3) applauds the coalescing of national, State, local, 
        medical, and faith-based organizations in working to promote 
        public awareness of mental health and providing critical 
        information and support to the people and families affected by 
        mental illness;
            (4) supports the finding of the President's Commission on 
        Mental Health that the Nation's failure to prioritize mental 
        health is a national tragedy; and
            (5) encourages all to draw on ``Mental Health Awareness 
        Month'' as an opportunity to promote mental well-being and 
        awareness, ensure access to appropriate coverage and services, 
        and support overall quality of life for those living with 
        mental illness.
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