[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 79 (Wednesday, May 14, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E916]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          MENTAL HEALTH MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                        HON. PATRICK J. KENNEDY

                            of rhode island

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 13, 2008

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 1134, 
legislation to support the goals and ideals of Mental Health Month. I 
would like to thank my colleagues and co-chairs of the Mental Health 
Caucus, Representative Napolitano and Representative Murphy, for their 
continued dedication to educating Congress on this most important 
issue.
  It is critical for Congress to recognize May as Mental Health Month 
because we have the leadership role and the responsibility to transform 
mental health care in America. We are working to change the access, the 
delivery system and the outcomes of care. But we are also working to 
bring down the barriers to action that exist because of stigma, 
ignorance and misunderstanding of mental illness and substance use.
  Congress must work to increase public awareness and understanding of 
mental illness and substance use by funding research in genetics and 
functional medicine and developing and translating this research into 
effective treatments. We have the evidence to show how the brain 
suffers from the effects of mental illness and substance use. We know 
also that people who suffer the long term effects of mental illness die 
at an earlier age, suffer from untreated diabetes, hypertension and 
other chronic disease, because it is so difficult to get the care they 
need to protect their health and functioning.
  Several years ago, our Nation did not talk about cancer because of 
our fears, our poor understanding and our dread of losing our loved 
ones. Now mental illness is emerging from that same silence and 
neglect. As President Kennedy said, ``This neglect must end, if our 
Nation is to live up to its own standards of compassion and dignity.''
  For all our citizens bearing the burdens of mental illness and 
substance use, and their families, especially their children, we are 
working to improve the awareness, understanding and effective treatment 
of mental illness. We owe it to our veterans to fully treat the 
damaging psychological wounds of war as well as their physical 
injuries. We owe it to their children to return them well and sound to 
be the parents and spouses they deserve to be.
  This leadership is a shared responsibility with Federal agencies, 
State and local governments, employers, businesses, churches, law 
enforcement, schools, sports, the entertainment industry, and every 
part of our community. I thank my colleagues for bringing this 
resolution to the floor and join them in their support recognizing May 
as Mental Health Month.

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