[Congressional Bills 117th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1217 Introduced in House (IH)]

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117th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1217

 Addressing the national crisis of suicide among minority adolescents.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              July 5, 2022

  Mr. Espaillat (for himself, Ms. Norton, Mrs. Hayes, Mrs. Carolyn B. 
Maloney of New York, Mr. Trone, Ms. Bass, Mr. Krishnamoorthi, Ms. Brown 
 of Ohio, Mr. Swalwell, Mrs. Watson Coleman, Mrs. Lawrence, Mr. Sires, 
 and Mr. Torres of New York) submitted the following resolution; which 
 was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition 
      to the Committee on Education and Labor, for a period to be 
subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration 
  of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee 
                               concerned

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Addressing the national crisis of suicide among minority adolescents.

Whereas suicide is a mental health issue that affects individuals and families 
        around the Nation regardless of race, religion, gender identity, sexual 
        orientation, nation of birth, economic background, disability, or age;
Whereas the World Health Organization defines ``adolescents'' as children 
        between the ages of 10 to 19;
Whereas, over the last two decades, self-reported suicide attempts rose nearly 
        80 percent among Black adolescents, by far the biggest increase of all 
        races and ethnicities;
Whereas Black children under 13 are dying by suicide at nearly twice the rate of 
        White children the same age;
Whereas the COVID-19 public health emergency has disproportionately affected the 
        mental health of Black and Indigenous people of color (BIPOC) youth due 
        to--

    (1) Black and Latinx adolescents seeing more COVID-19 related infection 
and death in their communities than their White counterparts; and

    (2) Black and Latinx families suffering from disproportionate economic 
setback which leads to financial stress and instability;

Whereas the suicide rate for adolescent Native and Indigenous females is five 
        times higher than for their White counterparts;
Whereas the American Indian and Alaska Native youth suicide rate is 2.5 times 
        that of the overall national average;
Whereas suicide is the leading cause of death for Asian American and Pacific 
        Islander (AAPI) youth aged 12 to 19 years old;
Whereas 19.7 percent of AAPI students in grades 9-12 seriously considered 
        attempting suicide in the year before the survey was taken;
Whereas youth of color were witness to the renewed national attention and 
        protests against racialized police violence when an unarmed Black man 
        named George Floyd was killed during the summer of 2020;
Whereas racism against the AAPI community has been exacerbated due to 
        xenophobic, harmful rhetoric to describe the origins of the coronavirus 
        pandemic;
Whereas repeated experiences of racialized violence and prejudice may lead to 
        racial trauma which can manifest as depression and anxiety;
Whereas racial inequities in mental health are a result of historical oppression 
        and discriminatory practices that have deliberately and unjustly 
        targeted marginalized communities;
Whereas BIPOC adolescents are significantly less likely than White youth to 
        receive treatment for their depression overall because of negative 
        perceptions of services and health care providers;
Whereas structural racism has resulted in limited access to health care for 
        BIPOC adolescents;
Whereas the lack of cultural understanding and competency by health care 
        providers can cause individuals to delay or forgo care and may 
        contribute to underdiagnosis of mental illness in people from racially 
        and ethnically diverse populations; and
Whereas the lack of school resource funding results in a lack of school-based 
        mental health services, especially in schools whose populations are 
        predominately made up of students of color: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) adolescents experiencing mental health concerns, 
        including depression, anxiety and, among some groups, increased 
        risk for suicide, should have readily available resources to 
        effectively understand and ensure their needs are addressed;
            (2) no adolescent or student, regardless of their race, 
        religion, gender, sexual orientation, nation of birth, economic 
        background, disability, or age should face mental health issues 
        alone;
            (3) socioeconomic disparities, stigma, and unequitable 
        access to health care resources are all barriers that prevent 
        youth from receiving the help they need;
            (4) public officials should utilize their respective 
        platforms to increase awareness and culturally competent 
        resources in support of social, emotional, and mental health 
        needs of adolescents, especially in support of students of 
        color and groups more susceptible to risk;
            (5) ensuring that students of color have school-based 
        mental health services is an essential part in mitigating 
        increased suicide rates; and
            (6) Congress should commit to adequately fund existing 
        programs and organizations that are working to close the racial 
        and socioeconomic disparities in mental health.
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