Title: Expressing support for the designation of May 2022 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. 1093 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1093

 Expressing support for the designation of May 2022 as ``Mental Health 
                           Awareness Month''.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 6, 2022

 Mrs. Napolitano (for herself, Mr. Katko, Mr. Bacon, Ms. Barragan, Mr. 
   Beyer, Ms. Bonamici, Ms. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Carson, Ms. Chu, Mr. 
  Cleaver, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Correa, Ms. Craig, Mr. Danny K. Davis of 
 Illinois, Ms. DeGette, Mr. Espaillat, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Grijalva, 
Ms. Johnson of Texas, Ms. Kaptur, Mr. Kilmer, Mr. Lowenthal, Mr. Lynch, 
   Ms. Matsui, Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York, Mr. Moulton, Mr. 
O'Halleran, Mr. Panetta, Mrs. Lee of Nevada, Mr. Raskin, Mr. Tonko, Mr. 
  Torres of New York, Mr. Trone, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Ms. Williams of 
    Georgia, Ms. Wilson of Florida, Mr. DeSaulnier, and Mrs. Axne) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                         on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing support for the designation of May 2022 as ``Mental Health 
                           Awareness Month''.

Whereas mental well-being during the coronavirus (COVID-19) public health 
        emergency has taken a toll on constituents and understandably has been 
        stressful for many Americans;
Whereas the United States has witnessed firsthand for nearly 2 years how fear 
        and anxiety about a disease can be overwhelming, and cause strong 
        emotions in both adults and children;
Whereas, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, prior to the 
        pandemic nearly 1 in 5 adults lived with a mental illness;
Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 
        prior to the pandemic up to 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 reported a 
        mental, emotional, developmental, or behavioral disorder;
Whereas the effects of COVID-19 have been well-documented, and the need for 
        mental health and suicide prevention services only continues to grow;
Whereas the ``Stress in America 2021: Stress and Decision-Making during the 
        Pandemic'' poll found that--

    (1) 1 in 3 adults (32 percent) are so stressed about the coronavirus 
pandemic that they struggle to make basic decisions, such as what to wear 
or what to eat;

    (2) millennials were (48 percent) more likely to struggle than 
individuals in Generation Z (37 percent), Generation X (32 percent), baby 
boomers (14 percent), and older adults (3 percent);

    (3) 59 percent of adults experienced behavior changes as a result of 
stress in the past month; and

    (4) nearly two-thirds of adults (63 percent) agreed that uncertainty 
about what the next few months will be like causes them stress;

Whereas the April 2, 2021, CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that 
        during the pandemic the percentage of adults with symptoms of an anxiety 
        or a depressive disorder during the past 7 days rose from 36.4 percent 
        in August 2020 to 41.5 percent in February 2021;
Whereas the United States Census Household Pulse Survey in December 2021, found 
        that 30.7 percent of adults reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive 
        disorder, which is up from 11 percent in 2019, and among those adults, 
        27.8 percent reported an unmet need for counseling or therapy;
Whereas negative mental health outcomes have also worsened for children;
Whereas the impact of the pandemic on individuals, felt through the disruption 
        of their lives, increased anxiety about the virus, and the death of 
        loved ones, has had a traumatic effect;
Whereas, according to the CDC, mental health disorders are chronic conditions, 
        and without proper diagnosis and treatment children can face problems at 
        home and in school, and mental health disorders can interfere with their 
        future development;
Whereas more mental health school staff and resources should be utilized to 
        focus on prevention and early intervention in the educational system, as 
        that is where children are most likely to receive mental health 
        services;
Whereas childhood depression is more likely to persist into adulthood if left 
        untreated;
Whereas disparities remain in access to mental health treatment for youth of 
        color, with Asian, Native American, and Black youth less likely to 
        receive mental health care than their White counterparts;
Whereas it is important that the United States provide the necessary funding and 
        resources to reach children and youth early on in life;
Whereas, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, 50 percent of all 
        lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and 75 percent by age 
        24, and 20 percent of youth ages 13 to 18 live with a mental health 
        condition;
Whereas an August 2021, study published in the Journal of the American Medical 
        Association Pediatrics found that prevalence of depression and anxiety 
        symptoms during COVID-19 has doubled from prepandemic rates;
Whereas in December 2021 the United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy issued a 
        new Surgeon General Advisory to highlight the urgent need for families, 
        educators and schools, community organizations, media and technology 
        companies, and governments to address the Nation's worsening youth 
        mental health crisis;
Whereas the advisory further noted that youth mental health challenges have been 
        on the rise even prior to COVID-19, and from 2007 to 2018, the suicide 
        rate among youth aged 10 to 24 increased by 57 percent;
Whereas the COVID Collaborative estimates that more than 167,000 children have 
        lost a parent or in-home caregiver to COVID-19, which continues to raise 
        concerns about the emotional well-being of children;
Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted racial and ethnic disparities in 
        access to mental health care;
Whereas it is critical to continue to bolster public health measures to promote 
        and strengthen emotional well-being and resiliency of populations 
        affected by COVID-19 related stress, grief, and loss;
Whereas a July 2021 survey by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing found 
        that from July 2020 to July 2021--

    (1) 49 percent of LGBTQ+ adults have experienced more stress and mental 
health challenges, but just 41 percent say they have received treatment or 
care of any kind for their mental health;

    (2) 46 percent of Black adults say they are experiencing more stress 
and mental health challenges, but just 21 percent say they have received 
treatment or care of any kind for their mental health;

    (3) 45 percent of Native American adults have experienced more stress 
and mental health challenges, but only 24 percent have received treatment 
for mental health;

    (4) 42 percent of Hispanic adults report experiencing more stress and 
mental health challenges, but just 26 percent say they have received mental 
health treatment;

    (5) 40 percent of Asian adults say they are experiencing more stress 
and mental health challenges, but just 11 percent say they have received 
treatment or care of any kind; and

    (6) almost half (47 percent) of all adults surveyed stated that the 
cost of help or treatment is an obstacle in seeking treatment for their 
mental health;

Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the risk factors associated with 
        suicide and prevention, and such risk factors must continue to be 
        addressed;
Whereas a Mental Health America survey found that the number of adults reporting 
        suicidal ideation in 2021 increased by 664,000 when compared with the 
        2020 dataset;
Whereas depression, bipolar disorder, and substance use are strongly linked to 
        suicidal thinking and behavior;
Whereas the 2021 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report stated that--

    (1) 13.7 percent of adults who die from suicide are veterans; and

    (2) veterans have a 52.3 percent greater rate of suicide than the 
nonveteran United States population;

Whereas published data from the CDC found that--

    (1) individuals ages 10 to 24 years old account for 14 percent of all 
suicides; and

    (2) suicide is the ninth leading cause of death for adults ages 35 to 
64 and accounts for 47.2 percent of all suicides;

Whereas the August 27, 2021, CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found 
        that adults with disabilities were 3 times more likely to report 
        suicidal ideation (30.6 percent) in the past month compared to persons 
        without disabilities (8.3 percent);
Whereas, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, concerns have arisen around 
        potential increases in suicide risk, particularly among marginalized 
        populations;
Whereas, prior to the pandemic, LGBTQ+ youth have been found to be at 
        significantly greater risk for seriously considering and attempting 
        suicide, and for many LGBTQ+ youth, their home environment is not a safe 
        place;
Whereas, according to research from The Trevor Project, 16 percent of LGBTQ+ 
        youth, including 29 percent of transgender and nonbinary youth, reported 
        that they have felt unsafe in their home since the start of COVID-19 
        compared to 10 percent of cisgender and straight youth; and
Whereas it would be appropriate to observe May 2022 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) supports the expansion of funding for mental health 
        services;
            (4) recognizes that mental well-being is equally as 
        important as physical well-being for citizens, communities, 
        schools, businesses, and the economy in the United States;
            (5) 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
            (6) 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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