III 118th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 769 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES July 24, 2024 Mr. Padilla (for himself and Mr. Tillis ) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION Recognizing the importance of mental health for youth in the United States, and expressing the pressing need for awareness and support for mental health care for children and adolescents.

Whereas, over the past few decades and during the COVID–19 pandemic, mental health issues among young people have steadily become worse; Whereas the Department of Health and Human Services estimates that 49.5 percent of adolescents in the United States have faced a mental health disorder at some point in their lives; Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that in 2020, during the COVID–19 pandemic, mental health-related emergency room visits for children aged 5 through 11 years increased by 24 percent, and for children aged 12 through 17 years increased more than 30 percent; Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention— (1) suicide is the third leading cause of death among 14- to 18-year-olds in the United States; and (2) over 20 percent of high school students seriously consider attempting suicide and 10 percent attempt to take their lives; Whereas the National Institute of Mental Health states that mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, can lead to a higher propensity to engage in substance use; and Whereas youth populations in rural or underserved areas are less likely to be connected to mental health care: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate recognizes the importance of mental health among youth in the United States, and that in order to increase awareness for mental health care for children and adolescents, the Federal Government must work collaboratively to— (1) encourage States, local educational agencies, schools, and community organizations to support children, youth, and students experiencing mental health challenges at all grade levels by— (A) improving the professional development given to educators so that educators are better equipped to— (i) support student well-being through evidence-based prevention strategies; and (ii) respond to signs and symptoms of mental health disorders among students that educators are in direct contact with; (B) recognizing that young children often go misdiagnosed, undiagnosed, or face stigma when it comes to mental health disorders, and therefore lack adequate services and support when dealing with mental health challenges and crises; (C) raising awareness for high-quality school- and campus-based mental health services that are evidence-based and trauma-informed; and (D) evaluating the preservation of continuity of care for students whose treatment is interrupted; (2) recognize that mental health and physical health are intertwined and can be treated through integrated care services, and that age is not a determinant for experiencing a mental health disorder, in that children can face mental health challenges even in early childhood; (3) recognize the urgency for increasing public knowledge of mental health disorders by encouraging Federal, State, and local institutions to disseminate robust resources regarding the effects and available treatment options for various mental health disorders; (4) address the stigmas associated with mental health challenges by urging States to adopt peer-to-peer mental health treatment models that prioritize community-based care; (5) create a comprehensive strategy to contact isolated communities with little access to knowledge about and resources for supporting young people experiencing mental health disorders; and (6) address and prevent adverse childhood experiences, including previous childhood trauma, and other childhood and family risk factors that can lead to involvement in the justice and child welfare systems.