IV 118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1481 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 20, 2024 Mrs. Kim of California (for herself and Mrs. Watson Coleman ) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce RESOLUTION Expressing support for the recognition of September 2024 as National Children’s Emotional Wellness Month and for increased public awareness regarding children’s emotional health and wellness.

Whereas National Children’s Emotional Wellness Month brings attention to childhood and adolescence as key stages for good emotional and mental health development; Whereas, during the month of September, people and organizations come together to recognize the importance of children’s emotional well-being to thrive in the home, classroom, and society; Whereas emotional wellness is the ability to manage and express emotions effectively during stressful situations and adapt to changing and difficult circumstances; Whereas emotional wellness impacts every step of a child’s development and is closely linked with mental, physical, and behavioral health; Whereas 140,000 children experienced a death of a caregiver during the COVID–19 pandemic, severely impacting their emotional well-being, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, and many children also faced academic disruption and social isolation, had a parent lose their job, or suffered physical or emotional abuse at home; Whereas, from March to October 2020, mental health emergency visits rose by 24 percent among children ages 5 to 11 and 31 percent among teenagers ages 12 to 17; Whereas children and adolescents who use social media for more than 3 hours a day face double the risk of depression and anxiety, according to the Department of Health and Human Services; Whereas 1 in 5 United States children and teenagers, ranging from ages 3 through 17, suffer from an emotional, mental, or behavioral disorder, according to a 2022 National Institutes of Health National Library of Medicine report; Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that only 20 percent of children with an emotional, mental, or behavioral disorder receive specialized care and the treatment that they need; Whereas the second-leading cause of death among United States children and young adults is suicide, and approximately 2,000,000 children and teenagers attempt suicide annually; Whereas a child’s mental health is directly impacted by parental mental health, and parents who experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are more likely to have children who experience emotional problems at 2 years postpartum; Whereas the children’s mental health workforce is vital to the emotional well-being of millions of adolescents and teenagers, and it would be appropriate to celebrate the pediatricians, therapists, and mental health care providers for their invaluable service; Whereas local nonprofit organizations such as the Extraordinary Lives Foundation offer a unique approach to awareness, prevention, and early intervention and support the mental and emotional health needs of children through classroom toolkits, therapeutic resources, and educational opportunities for families; and Whereas spreading awareness during the month of September is crucial to increase access to social-emotional and mental health support and reduce barriers to access, including complicated and burdensome systems, limited supply of qualified mental health providers, and stigma that prevents families from seeking services: Now, therefore, be it

That the House of Representatives— (1) expresses support for the recognition of National Children’s Emotional Wellness Month and encourages increased public awareness and support for children’s emotional health and wellness; (2) expresses concern regarding rising rates of suicide, depression, and anxiety among American children and teenagers; (3) thanks America’s pediatric and mental health workforce and nonprofit organizations for improving children’s emotional well-being and providing services to address the needs of children and their families; and (4) supports maternal and paternal mental health care as an effective means of promoting a child’s emotional and mental health.