[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 640 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 640

 Addressing the national crisis of suicide among minority adolescents.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             August 1, 2023

    Mr. Espaillat (for himself, Mr. Trone, and Mrs. Watson Coleman) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
 on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the Committee on Education 
 and the Workforce, 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 personal attributes such as race, 
        religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, nation of birth, economic 
        background, disability, or age;
Whereas the World Health Organization defines ``adolescent'' 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 most significant 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 youth who are Black, Indigenous, or people of color 
        (BIPOC) due to--

    (1) Black and Latino adolescents seeing more COVID-19-related 
infections and deaths in their communities than for their White 
counterparts; and

    (2) Black and Latino families suffering from disproportionate economic 
setbacks that lead to financial stress and instability;

Whereas the suicide rate for adolescent Native and Indigenous females is five 
        times higher than 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 youth of color are up to twice as likely to be exposed to violent crime 
        in their neighborhood of residence than their White counterparts;
Whereas exposure to violent crime, and those involving firearms in particular, 
        engenders traumas beyond ``normal'' post-traumatic stress disorder 
        (PTSD), including interpersonal distrust, feeling of shame, and 
        dependency that perpetuate systemic racial disparities in the United 
        States;
Whereas 19.7 percent of AAPI students in grades 9 to 12 seriously considered 
        attempting suicide in the past year;
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 murdered 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 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;
Whereas BIPOC adolescents are significantly less likely than White youth to 
        receive treatment for their depression overall because of negative 
        perceptions of mental health services and providers within their 
        communities; 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 stress, 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, or 
        economic background, 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;
            (6) through culturally relevant treatment, suicide 
        prevention efforts must address the lived experiences of youth 
        of color; and
            (7) 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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