[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>