Title: Expressing support for the designation of May 2021 as "Mental Health Awareness Month".
Policy area: Health

Summary:
This resolution supports the designation of Mental Health Awareness Month and declares mental health a national priority.

[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 365 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






117th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 365

 Expressing support for the designation of May 2021 as ``Mental Health 
                           Awareness Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 30, 2021

  Mrs. Napolitano (for herself, Mr. Katko, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Tonko, Mr. 
Cleaver, Mr. O'Halleran, Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. Moulton, Ms. 
   Chu, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Jackson Lee, Ms. Craig, Mr. Veasey, Mr. 
Sires, Ms. Escobar, Mr. Lieu, Ms. Johnson of Texas, Mr. Lowenthal, Ms. 
Castor of Florida, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. DeSaulnier, Mr. 
Beyer, Mr. Lynch, Mr. Trone, Mr. Connolly, Mrs. Lee of Nevada, and Mr. 
Grijalva) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                    Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing support for the designation of May 2021 as ``Mental Health 
                           Awareness Month''.

Whereas the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency is taking a toll on 
        our constituents' mental well-being and understandably may be stressful 
        for many Americans;
Whereas we are witnessing how fear and anxiety about a disease can be 
        overwhelming and cause strong emotions in both adults and children;
Whereas the Joint Economic Committee released a report in October 2020 on the 
        coronavirus and how it is worsening America's mental health crisis;
Whereas the September 2020 United States Census Bureau survey found that 37 
        percent of American adults reported symptoms of anxiety or depression 
        disorder, triple the percentage reported in 2019;
Whereas the June 2020 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey 
        found that 11 percent of adults have considered suicide in the past 30 
        days, more than double the share in 2019;
Whereas the August 14, 2020, CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found 
        that--

    (1) symptoms of anxiety disorder and depressive disorder increased 
considerably in the United States during the period of April to June 2020 
compared with the same period in 2019; and

    (2) during late June 2020, 40 percent of American adults reported 
struggling with mental health or substance use, 31 percent experienced 
anxiety/depression symptoms, 26 percent experienced trauma/stressor-related 
disorder symptoms (TSRD), 13 percent started or increased substance use, 
and 11 percent seriously considered suicide;

Whereas the ``Stress in America 2020: A National Mental Health Crisis'' poll 
        found that--

    (1) nearly 1 in 5 adults saw their mental health worsen in the last 
year;

    (2) 34 percent of Generation Z (Gen Z) adults, 21 percent of Generation 
X, 19 percent of Millennials, 12 percent of Baby Boomers, and 8 percent of 
older adults reported worsening mental health; and

    (3) 61 percent of adults stated they could have used more emotional 
support than they received over the prior 12 months;

Whereas there was a 1,000-percent increase in April 2020 on a Federal emergency 
        hotline for people in emotional distress;
Whereas, according to the Pew Research Center, more than a third of Americans 
        have experienced high levels of psychological distress at some point 
        during the extended period of social distancing;
Whereas the Census Bureau's 2020 Household Pulse Survey found that--

    (1) 47 percent of women reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive 
disorder compared to 38 percent of men in December 2020; and

    (2) 56 percent of young adults have reported symptoms of anxiety or 
depressive disorder as of December 2020;

Whereas the August 14, 2020, CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found 
        that--

    (1) 25 percent of young adults reported they started or had increased 
substance use during the pandemic, compared to 13 percent of all adults; 
and

    (2) 26 percent of young adults reported thoughts of suicide, compared 
to 11 percent of all adults;

Whereas the ``Stress in America 2020: A National Mental Health Crisis'' poll 
        found that 81 percent of Gen Z teens, ages 13 to 17, report they have 
        experienced negative impacts of pandemic-related school closures, and 87 
        percent of Gen Z adults in college report education is a significant 
        source of stress in their lives;
Whereas the November 13, 2020, CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found 
        that between March and October 2020 there was a 24 percent increase 
        nationwide in mental health-related emergency room visits among children 
        between the ages of 5 and 11, and a 31-percent increase among those 
        between the ages of 12 and 17, compared with the same period in 2019;
Whereas the 2021 Kaiser Family Foundation project found that 74 percent of LGBT 
        people stated that worry and stress from the pandemic has had a negative 
        impact on their mental health, compared to 49 percent of those who are 
        not LGBT;
Whereas the February 5, 2021, CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found 
        that symptoms of current depression were reported 59 percent more 
        frequently by Hispanic adults (40.3 percent) than by White, non-Hispanic 
        adults (25.3 percent);
Whereas the August 14, 2020, CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found 
        that--

    (1) 40.8 percent of Hispanic-American participants had an anxiety or 
depressive disorder, 35.1 percent experienced COVID-19-related TSRD, and 
21.9 percent started or increased substance use to cope with pandemic-
related stress or emotions;

    (2) 30.2 percent of Black, non-Hispanic participants in the United 
States had an anxiety or depressive disorder, 30.4 percent experienced 
COVID-19-related TSRD, and 18.4 percent started or increased substance use 
to cope with pandemic-related stress or emotions; and

    (3) 18 percent of Asian, non-Hispanic-American participants had an 
anxiety or depressive disorder, 22.1 percent experienced COVID-19-related 
TSRD, and 6.7 percent started or increased substance use to cope with 
pandemic-related stress or emotions;

Whereas the May 2020 HolaDoctor survey found that 20 percent of Latinos are 
        suffering from anxiety and 15.7 percent of Latinos are suffering from 
        increased stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown;
Whereas the 2020 Mental Health America survey found that from June to September 
        2020, 93 percent of health care workers were experiencing stress, 86 
        percent were experiencing anxiety, 76 percent reported exhaustion and 
        burnout, 75 percent said they were overwhelmed, and 39 percent of health 
        care workers said they did not feel like they had adequate emotional 
        support;
Whereas the 2020 University of Utah survey of health care workers, emergency 
        responders, and hospital staff found that 56 percent of respondents 
        screened positive for at least one mental health disorder;
Whereas the 2020 Kaiser Family Foundation analysis found that 42 percent of 
        essential workers experienced symptoms of anxiety or depressive 
        disorder, 25 percent started or increased substance use to cope with 
        stress or emotions related to COVID-19, and 22 percent considered 
        suicide in the past 30 days; and
Whereas it would be appropriate to observe May 2021 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) declares mental health a national priority;
            (3) recognizes mental well-being is equally as important as 
        physical well-being for citizens, communities, schools, 
        businesses, and the economy in the United States;
            (4) 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 during this pandemic to individuals and 
        families affected by mental illness; 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.
                                 <all>