[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 72 (Monday, May 2, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S2247]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 607--SUPPORTING THE DESIGNATION OF THE WEEK OF MAY 1, 
 2022, AS ``CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK'' AND MAY 5, 2022, 
             AS ``CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY''

  Mr. KING (for himself and Mr. Cornyn) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Health, Education, 
Labor, and Pensions:

                              S. Res. 607

       Whereas children in the United States were already 
     experiencing a public health crisis of mental and behavioral 
     health before the additional challenges of the COVID-19 
     pandemic;
       Whereas a 2013 report from the Centers for Disease Control 
     and Prevention estimated that mental disorders affect between 
     13 and 20 percent of children each year and cost 
     $247,000,000,000 annually;
       Whereas the National Institute of Mental Health estimates 
     that nearly \1/2\ of adolescents (49.5 percent of the 
     population aged 13 to 18) will experience a mental disorder;
       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 suicide is the third leading cause of death for 
     youth aged 10 to 24, and 90 percent of youth suicide deaths 
     involve an underlying mental illness;
       Whereas, during the COVID-19 pandemic, increased isolation 
     and collective trauma has led to an increase in demand for 
     mental health services for children;
       Whereas, compared with 2019, the proportion of visits of 
     children to emergency rooms for concerns relating to mental 
     health increased between approximately 24 and 31 percent;
       Whereas the COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the inequities 
     in the mental health delivery system for all populations in 
     the United States, specifically impacting children and adults 
     who have been exposed to adverse childhood experiences; and
       Whereas 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
       Resolved, 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 expanding 
     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.

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