118 SRES 235 ATS: Supporting the designation of the week of May 7, 2023, as “Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week” and May 11, 2023, as “Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day”. U.S. Senate 2023-06-01 text/xml EN Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.

III118th CONGRESS1st SessionS. RES. 235IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATESJune 1, 2023Mr. King (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, and Mr. Padilla) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed toRESOLUTIONSupporting the designation of the week of May 7, 2023, as Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week and May 11, 2023, as Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day.

Whereas children in the United States have been documented to have undergone an acute public health crisis of mental and behavioral health for many years, even before the additional challenges of the COVID–19 pandemic;Whereas a 2022 study found as many as 1 in 5 children in the United States have a mental, emotional, or behavioral health condition;Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on survey data from the Youth Risk behavior survey, estimate that, in 2021, more than 4 in 10 (42 percent) high school students felt persistently sad or hopeless, and nearly 1 in 3 (29 percent) experienced poor mental health;Whereas, in 2019, according to the Census Bureau, over 11 percent of children aged 3 to 17 received treatment or counseling from a mental health professional;Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is—(1)the second leading cause of death among individuals aged 10 to 14; (2)the third leading cause of death among individuals aged 15 to 24; and(3)the tenth leading cause of death for individuals aged 5 to 9;Whereas there has been a significant increase in demand for mental health services for children, including a more than 30 percent increase in mental health visits to emergency departments for children aged 12 to 17 from 2019 to April 2020;Whereas barriers exist to access to mental health delivery systems, particularly impacting children and adults who have been exposed to adverse childhood experiences; andWhereas the stigma surrounding mental and behavioral health persists, and acknowledging this public health crisis and creating awareness as early as possible is as important as ever: Now, therefore, be it

That the Senate—(1)recognizes the importance of connecting children with appropriate mental and behavioral health services and supports;(2)seeks to create awareness for the additional challenges children and their families have faced during the COVID–19 pandemic due to isolation from family and peers, barriers to services, and exposure to traumas;(3)supports programs and services aimed at providing access to care, building resiliency, and addressing trauma; and(4)shows appreciation and gratitude for family members, friends, educators, mental and behavioral health service providers, and others in their support for the mental health and well-being of children.