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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H. Res. 1206 Introduced in House (IH)]
118th CONGRESS 2d Session H. RES. 1206
Expressing support for the designation of May 2024 as "Mental Health Awareness Month".
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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 7, 2024
Mrs. Napolitano (for herself, Mr. Beyer, Ms. Salinas, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mr. Trone, Ms. Norton, Ms. Porter, Mr. Tonko, Mr. Peters, Ms. Jackson Lee, Mr. Torres of New York, Ms. Chu, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Mr. Sablan, Mrs. Cherfilus-McCormick, Mr. Kim of New Jersey, Ms. Sewell, Ms. Dean of Pennsylvania, Ms. Sherrill, Ms. Pettersen, Mrs. Ramirez, Ms. Moore of Wisconsin, Ms. Barragan, Ms. Matsui, Mr. Bacon, Mr. Moskowitz, Ms. Lee of Nevada, Ms. Kelly of Illinois, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Ms. Balint, Ms. Tokuda, Ms. Stansbury, Mrs. Trahan, Ms. Castor of Florida, Ms. McCollum, Mr. Cardenas, Mr. Costa, Ms. Brownley, and Mr. Norcross) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
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RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the designation of May 2024 as "Mental Health Awareness Month".
Whereas Americans across the country continue to confront an ongoing mental health crisis; Whereas we continue to see increasing reports of loneliness, stress, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and substance abuse; Whereas the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health conducted by found that--
(1) the number of American adults living with a mental illness has risen from 51,400,000 in 2019 to 59,300,000 in 2022;
(2) 23 percent of Americans over the age of 18 and 36 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 25 have lived with a mental illness during the past year; and
(3) 13,200,000 adults had serious thoughts of suicide during the past year;
Whereas an October 2022 Kaiser Family Foundation/CNN Mental Health in America Survey found that--
(1) 90 percent of the public think that there is a mental health crisis in the United States today;
(2) 55 percent of the public think that mental health issues in children and teenagers in the United States today are a crisis;
(3) 47 percent of parents say that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on their child's mental health; and
(4) 51 percent of all adults say they or a family member has experienced a severe mental health crisis;
Whereas the Stress in America 2023 survey conducted by the American Psychological Association found that--
(1) 26 percent of adults are so stressed that they struggle to function;
(2) 47 percent of adults struggle to go to work or attend school because of stress; and
(3) 58 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 34 feel completely overwhelmed by stress every day;
Whereas the 2022 Access to Care Survey conducted by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing found that--
(1) 2 in 5 Americans reported needing mental health care;
(2) 43 percent of Americans who needed mental health care over the past 12 months did not receive it; and
(3) two-thirds of Americans believe that it is harder to find a mental health care provider than it is to find a physical health care provider;
Whereas a February 2024 Household Pulse Survey found that 17.7 percent of adults reported symptoms of anxiety disorder; Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mental health disorders are chronic conditions, and without proper diagnosis and treatment children can face problems at home and in school which can interfere with their future development; Whereas more resources should be dedicated in schools to the prevention, early detection, and treatment of mental health disorders in children; Whereas childhood depression is more likely to persist into adulthood if it is left untreated; Whereas it is important that the United States provide the necessary funding and resources to reach children and youth early on in life; Whereas the October 14, 2022, CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that 3 in 4 high school students experienced at least 1 adverse childhood experience during the COVID-19 pandemic and that these experiences increase an individual's likelihood to report poor mental health or suicidal behavior in the future; Whereas the May 12, 2023, CDC Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report found that between 2020 and 2023, the number of pediatric emergency department visits associated with mental health conditions increased and was most pronounced in girls between the ages of 12 and 17; Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the use of digital technologies, such as any social media; Whereas there has been a great concern about the impact of social media on the mental health of children and youth; Whereas social media does expose children to bullying, depression, anxiety, and self-harm; Whereas there is a strong need to further understand and deter any negative impacts of social media on children and youth; Whereas the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary and Trends Report: 2011-2021, found that--
(1) nearly 3 in 5 teenage girls in the United States felt persistently sad or hopeless in 2021, which is double that of boys and the highest levels reported in decades;
(2) 30 percent of teenage girls in the United States seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year; and
(3) youth experienced high and worsening levels of persistent sadness or hopelessness across all racial and ethnics groups;
Whereas the 2022 Adolescent Behaviors and Experiences Survey prepared by the CDC found that--
(1) 36 percent of heterosexual high school students and 75 percent of LGBTQ+ high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless for an extended period during the last 12 months;
(2) 14 percent of heterosexual high school students and 47 percent of LGBTQ+ high school students seriously considered attempting suicide during the last 12 months; and
(3) 5 percent of heterosexual high school students and 26 percent of LGBTQ+ high school students actually attempted suicide during the last 12 months;
Whereas, according to the 2023 National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health conducted by The Trevor Project, 56 percent of LGBTQ youth who wanted mental health care in the past year were not able to get it and 41 percent of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide over this same time period; Whereas disparities remain in access to mental health treatment for communities of color, with Asian, Native American, Hispanic, and Black individuals less likely to receive mental health care than their White counterparts; Whereas a July 2021 survey conducted by the National Council for Mental Wellbeing found that from July 2020 to July 2021--
(1) 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;
(2) 45 percent of Native American adults have experienced more stress and mental health challenges, but only 24 percent have received treatment for mental health;
(3) 42 percent of Hispanic adults report experiencing more stress and mental health challenges, but just 26 percent say they have received mental health treatment;
(4) 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
(5) 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, in 2021, the Kaiser Family Foundation found that over half of White, Hispanic, and Black adults say that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health; Whereas suicide is a significant public health issue that can have an enduring impact on individuals and their communities; Whereas additional resources should be dedicated to the prevention of suicide in the United States; Whereas, according to the CDC, the overall suicide rate in the United States increased by 30 percent between 2000 and 2020; Whereas, according to the CDC, the total number of deaths by suicide in the United States increased by 2.6 percent between 2021 and 2022; Whereas provisional data published by the CDC in November 2023 found that--
(1) suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States; and
(2) the number of suicides was 3 percent higher in 2022 than it was in 2021;
Whereas veterans are more likely to experience mental health challenges than nonveterans; Whereas it is important that the United States provide additional funding and resources to support veterans with mental health needs; Whereas the 2023 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual Report found that--
(1) 6,392 veterans died by suicide in 2021, which is a daily average of 17.5;
(2) the suicide rate for veterans was 71.8-percent greater than for nonveteran United States adults; and
(3) the suicide rate was highest among veterans between the ages of 18 and 34; and
Whereas it would be appropriate to observe May 2024 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 supports 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.