[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 86 (Friday, May 23, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1047]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING ESTABLISHMENT OF A BEBE MOORE CAMPBELL 
            NATIONAL MINORITY MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 19, 2008

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to support H. Con. Res.-134, 
the Establishment of a Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental 
Health Awareness Month. As disproportionate numbers of African 
Americans, Latinos, Asians, and others of color continue to be affected 
by a lack of resources for mental illness, we can now take steps to 
bring solutions to the public consciousness with the establishment of 
this awareness month.
  According to the 1999 Surgeon General's Report on Mental Illness, 
more than 54,000,000 Americans have a mental disorder in any given 
year, although fewer than 8,000,000 seek treatment.
  Minority mental health consumers often fall into the category of the 
``working poor'', facing additional challenges because they are 
underinsured or uninsured, which often leads to late diagnosis or no 
diagnosis of mental illness.
  According to the 1999 Surgeon General's Report on Mental Illness, 
African Americans are misdiagnosed at a higher rate within the mental 
health delivery system, and greater effort must be made to accurately 
assess the mental health of African Americans.
  Bebe Moore Campbell through her dedication and commitment sought to 
move communities to support mental wellness through effective treatment 
options, open access to mental health treatment and services, and 
improve community outreach and support for the many loved ones who are 
unable to speak for themselves.
  Here in Congress, we must lead the fight for important issues such as 
mental illness, for all of our citizens regardless of their ethnicity 
or medical hardship. As our health care systems continue to advance in 
the field of mental illness, an awareness month such as the Bebe Moore 
Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month can encourage 
increased knowledge and possible treatment for families who are 
affected by such a debilitating problem.
  I strongly support the designation of the Bebe Moore Campbell 
National Health Awareness Month and I have profound respect for the 
late Bebe Moore Campbell who made great strides in bringing mental 
health awareness to both the African-American and the general American 
public, through her literary works and advocacy. As a celebrated writer 
and journalist, noted author, radio commentator, community activist, 
advocate, and recipient of numerous awards and honors, Bebe Moore 
Campbell was an exceptional individual and it is beyond fitting to name 
this awareness month in her and her work's honor.
  I would like to commend Congressman Wynn and Congresswoman Watson for 
their leadership in bringing this resolution before Congress.

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