[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 1481 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 1481

Expressing support for the recognition of September 2024 as ``National 
    Children's Emotional Wellness Month'' and for increased public 
     awareness regarding children's emotional health and wellness.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 20, 2024

Mrs. Kim of California (for herself and Mrs. Watson Coleman) submitted 
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 
                              and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing support for the recognition of September 2024 as ``National 
    Children's Emotional Wellness Month'' and for increased public 
     awareness regarding children's emotional health and wellness.

Whereas National Children's Emotional Wellness Month brings attention to 
        childhood and adolescence as key stages for good emotional and mental 
        health development;
Whereas, during the month of September, people and organizations come together 
        to recognize the importance of children's emotional well-being to thrive 
        in the home, classroom, and society;
Whereas emotional wellness is the ability to manage and express emotions 
        effectively during stressful situations and adapt to changing and 
        difficult circumstances;
Whereas emotional wellness impacts every step of a child's development and is 
        closely linked with mental, physical, and behavioral health;
Whereas 140,000 children experienced a death of a caregiver during the COVID-19 
        pandemic, severely impacting their emotional well-being, according to 
        the American Academy of Pediatrics, and many children also faced 
        academic disruption and social isolation, had a parent lose their job, 
        or suffered physical or emotional abuse at home;
Whereas, from March to October 2020, mental health emergency visits rose by 24 
        percent among children ages 5 to 11 and 31 percent among teenagers ages 
        12 to 17;
Whereas children and adolescents who use social media for more than 3 hours a 
        day face double the risk of depression and anxiety, according to the 
        Department of Health and Human Services;
Whereas 1 in 5 United States children and teenagers, ranging from ages 3 through 
        17, suffer from an emotional, mental, or behavioral disorder, according 
        to a 2022 National Institutes of Health National Library of Medicine 
        report;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that only 20 
        percent of children with an emotional, mental, or behavioral disorder 
        receive specialized care and the treatment that they need;
Whereas the second-leading cause of death among United States children and young 
        adults is suicide, and approximately 2,000,000 children and teenagers 
        attempt suicide annually;
Whereas a child's mental health is directly impacted by parental mental health, 
        and parents who experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are more 
        likely to have children who experience emotional problems at 2 years 
        postpartum;
Whereas the children's mental health workforce is vital to the emotional well-
        being of millions of adolescents and teenagers, and it would be 
        appropriate to celebrate the pediatricians, therapists, and mental 
        health care providers for their invaluable service;
Whereas local nonprofit organizations such as the Extraordinary Lives Foundation 
        offer a unique approach to awareness, prevention, and early intervention 
        and support the mental and emotional health needs of children through 
        classroom toolkits, therapeutic resources, and educational opportunities 
        for families; and
Whereas spreading awareness during the month of September is crucial to increase 
        access to social-emotional and mental health support and reduce barriers 
        to access, including complicated and burdensome systems, limited supply 
        of qualified mental health providers, and stigma that prevents families 
        from seeking services: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses support for the recognition of ``National 
        Children's Emotional Wellness Month'' and encourages increased 
        public awareness and support for children's emotional health 
        and wellness;
            (2) expresses concern regarding rising rates of suicide, 
        depression, and anxiety among American children and teenagers;
            (3) thanks America's pediatric and mental health workforce 
        and nonprofit organizations for improving children's emotional 
        well-being and providing services to address the needs of 
        children and their families; and
            (4) supports maternal and paternal mental health care as an 
        effective means of promoting a child's emotional and mental 
        health.
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