[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 173 (Thursday, October 31, 2019)]
[Senate]
[Page S6346]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 405--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF 
              OCTOBER AS ``BRAIN HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH''

  Mr. GRASSLEY submitted the following resolution; which was referred 
to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

                              S. Res. 405

       Whereas millions of individuals in the United States suffer 
     from behavioral health conditions, such as anxiety, 
     depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder, or a 
     traumatic brain injury or acquired brain injury that disrupts 
     the normal function of the brain;
       Whereas a serious behavioral health condition, such as 
     schizophrenia, or a traumatic brain injury or acquired brain 
     injury, such as a stroke, that disrupts the normal function 
     of the brain often is linked to a lifetime of cognitive and 
     behavioral challenges;
       Whereas millions of individuals in the United States 
     struggle with challenges caused by a traumatic brain injury, 
     stroke, or mental health conditions;
       Whereas hundreds of thousands of members and veterans of 
     the Armed Forces have been diagnosed with traumatic brain 
     injury and millions more have been diagnosed with post-
     traumatic stress disorder as a result of their service, which 
     can lead to persistent challenges for those members and 
     veterans and their families;
       Whereas approximately 1 in 5 people in the United States 
     struggle with behavioral health disorders each year, but a 
     majority of those people do not seek treatment for their 
     condition, often due to the stigma associated with doing so;
       Whereas early and adequate access to care, such as imaging 
     technology that can identify areas of the brain that have 
     been compromised, promotes health and can greatly increase 
     the overall quality of life of many individuals in the United 
     States;
       Whereas grassroots organizations such as Brain Health Now 
     of Iowa and Mental Health Connecticut, which are dedicated to 
     ending the stigma of mental illness, have called for every 
     individual in the United States to treat health conditions 
     affecting the brain with the same regard and care as physical 
     illnesses, such as heart disease; and
       Whereas it is important to educate the public on the 
     incidence and prevalence of brain injury and disease and to 
     support the needs of those who are injured: Now, therefore, 
     be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the designation of October as ``Brain Health 
     Awareness Month''; and
       (2) encourages all individuals in the United States to use 
     Brain Health Awareness Month as an opportunity to promote 
     greater acceptance of and support for individuals living with 
     diseases or injuries affecting the brain.

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