[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 130 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 130
Supporting the goals and ideals of Mental Health Month, and for other
purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 25, 2007
Mrs. Napolitano (for herself and Mr. Tim Murphy of Pennsylvania)
submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Supporting the goals and ideals of Mental Health Month, and for other
purposes.
Whereas approximately 57,000,000 Americans are affected by mental disorders or
illnesses, and this leading cause of disability in the United States
impacts nearly 1 in 4 American adults who suffer from diagnosable and
treatable disorders each year, including depression among those between
the ages of 40 and 55 as the leading cause of death for women and the
second highest cause of death for men, disorders impacting 1 in 5
children and adolescents, depressive illnesses affecting an estimated
7,000,000 Americans age 65 or older, mental illnesses found in nearly
one-third of people who are homeless, and mental health disorders
affecting more than half of all prison and jail inmates (including 56
percent of State prisoners, 45 percent of Federal prisoners, 64 percent
of local jail inmates, and 80 percent of young people entering the
juvenile justice system);
Whereas employers should be aware that mental illness greatly impacts workplace
productivity, often leading to increased absenteeism from their
workforce that when untreated, mistreated, and ignored costs the United
States $150,000,000,000 in lost business productivity, with depression
alone costing employers more than $51,000,000,000 annually in addition
to high medical and pharmaceutical bills, and totaling over
$200,000,000,000 in yearly costs nationwide for treating mental
illnesses in both the private and public sectors;
Whereas the tragedy of suicide dramatically and alarmingly exhibits the gravest
threat of mental health disorders and illnesses, impacting older
Americans who suffer from mental illnesses ultimately leading to
suicide, disproportionately affecting young Americans as the third
leading cause of death among people under 24 years old, with 1 in 4
Latina adolescents--more than any other group of teens--reporting
serious consideration of suicide, and constituting the second leading
cause of death among college students in the United States;
Whereas the Federal Government must do more to prevent and treat military
service-related mental health disorders through increased funding that
provides additional trained personnel to care for the nearly one third
(31 percent) of veterans who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan
between 2001 and 2005 and were diagnosed with mental health or
psychosocial ills needing treatment by the Department of Veterans
Affairs, as researchers at the University of California, San Francisco,
and the San Francisco Veteran Affairs Medical Center found in a March
2007 study;
Whereas of these 31 percent diagnosed with mental health or psychosocial
problems, a vast majority suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD), an anxiety disorder that may lead to depression, substance
abuse, memory, cognitive, and physical problems, and most unfortunately
suicide, and without intervention can evolve into a multi-generational
condition continuing to affect families long after a veteran returns
home;
Whereas the treatment of mental illnesses and delivery of mental health services
definitively contributes to the magnitude and response towards America's
most alarming tragedies, such as the nearly half a million Hurricane
Katrina survivors still needing mental health services, which includes a
doubling in phone calls to the suicide hotline of the Substance Abuse
and Mental Health Services Administration, and most recently reflects
the exceedingly distressing massacre at Virginia Tech University where
deficiencies in mental health treatment are known to have been a key
contribution to the events of April 16, 2007, reminding America of the
estimated two-thirds of young people with mental health disorders who
are not aware of services available to them;
Whereas Federal Government agencies can help save money and lives through
investment in effective mental health programs, while allowing the
status quo would result in unnecessary economic costs, mental
disability, and in many cases premature death; and
Whereas it would be appropriate to observe May 2007 as Mental Health Month: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) supports the goals and ideals of Mental Health Month in
order to place emphasis on the actual facts and the recent
scientific literature regarding mental health and thereby
remove stigma associated therewith;
(2) recognizes that mental well-being is equally as
important as physical well-being for our citizens, for our
communities, for our businesses, and for our country, and must
be treated as such with parity to other illnesses;
(3) applauds the new coalescing of national and community
organizations, and their great work in promoting public
awareness to reduce the stigma of mental health treatment and
providing critical information to support the people and
families of those dealing with this crippling illness, which in
many cases can be treated effectively;
(4) supports President Bush's Commission on Mental Health
and encourages the adequate funding of its findings released in
2003, recognizing that our Nation's failure to prioritize
mental health is a national tragedy; and
(5) urges all organizations and health practitioners to use
this opportunity during Mental Health Month to promote
information to not only reduce and eliminate stigma, but also
focus on mental well-being awareness, ensure access to
appropriate services, and support overall quality of life for
those living with mental illness.
<all>