[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 97 (Tuesday, June 7, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2816-S2817]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 662--EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR THE DESIGNATION OF MAY 
               2022 AS ``MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH''

  Mr. LUJAN (for himself, Mr. Portman, Ms. Stabenow, and Mr. Daines) 
submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 662

       Whereas the COVID-19 public health emergency has taken a 
     toll on the mental well-being of the people of the United 
     States and understandably has been stressful for many of 
     those people;
       Whereas, for more than 2 years, the United States has 
     witnessed firsthand how fear and anxiety about a disease can 
     be overwhelming and negatively affect mental health in both 
     adults and children;

[[Page S2817]]

       Whereas, according to the National Institute of Mental 
     Health, before the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 1 in 5 adults in 
     the United States lived with a mental illness;
       Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention (referred to in this preamble as the ``CDC''), 
     before the COVID-19 pandemic, up to 1 in 5 children who were 
     3 to 17 years of age reported a mental, emotional, 
     developmental, or behavioral disorder;
       Whereas, according to the CDC, the COVID-19 pandemic has 
     been associated with mental health challenges;
       Whereas the ``Stress in America 2021: Stress and Decision-
     Making during the Pandemic'' poll found that--
       (1) 32 percent of adults, including 48 percent of 
     Millennials, have so much stress about the COVID-19 pandemic 
     that they struggle to make basic decisions, such as what to 
     wear or what to eat;
       (2) 59 percent of adults experienced behavior changes as a 
     result of stress in the past month; and
       (3) 63 percent of adults agreed that uncertainty about what 
     the next few months would be like caused stress for those 
     individuals;
       Whereas the April 2, 2021, CDC Morbidity and Mortality 
     Weekly Report found that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the 
     percentage of adults with symptoms of an anxiety or a 
     depressive disorder during the 7 days preceding the study 
     rose from 36.4 percent in August 2020 to 41.5 percent in 
     February 2021;
       Whereas a Household Pulse Survey in December 2021 found 
     that 30.7 percent of adults reported symptoms of anxiety or 
     depressive disorder, which is up from 11 percent in 2019, 
     and, among those adults, 27.8 percent reported an unmet need 
     for counseling or therapy;
       Whereas, according to the CDC, nearly 1 in 6 children has a 
     mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder, such as 
     anxiety or depression, attention-deficit/hyperactivity 
     disorder (commonly referred to as ``ADHD''), autism spectrum 
     disorder (commonly referred to as ``ASD''), disruptive 
     behavior disorder, or Tourette syndrome;
       Whereas, according to data collected by the CDC in 2021, 37 
     percent of high school students reported that they 
     experienced poor mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, 
     and 44 percent of those students reported they persistently 
     felt sad or hopeless;
       Whereas, according to the CDC, mental health disorders are 
     chronic conditions, and, without proper diagnosis and 
     treatment with respect to those disorders, children can face 
     problems at home, in school, and with their development;
       Whereas, according to the CDC, children with mental, 
     emotional, or behavioral disorders benefit from early 
     diagnosis and treatment;
       Whereas the Federal Government supports a variety of 
     programs aimed at providing behavioral and mental health 
     resources to children and youth;
       Whereas, according to the National Institute of Mental 
     Health, 50 percent of all lifetime cases of mental illness 
     begin by 14 years of age, 75 percent of those illnesses begin 
     by 24 years of age, and 20 percent of youth between 13 and 18 
     years of age live with a mental health condition;
       Whereas an August 2021 study published in JAMA Pediatrics 
     found that the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms 
     during COVID-19 has doubled from pre-pandemic rates;
       Whereas, in December 2021, the Surgeon General of the 
     Public Health Service, Dr. Vivek Murthy, issued a new Surgeon 
     General's Advisory--
       (1) to highlight the urgent need for families, educators 
     and schools, community organizations, media and technology 
     companies, and governments to address the worsening youth 
     mental health crisis in the United States; and
       (2) that noted that--
          (A) youth mental health challenges have been on the 
     rise, even before the COVID-19 pandemic; and
          (B) from 2007 to 2018, the suicide rate among youth 
     between 10 and 24 years of age increased by 57 percent;
       Whereas Imperial College London estimates that more than 
     214,000 children in the United States have lost a parent or 
     primary caregiver to COVID-19, which continues to raise 
     concerns about the emotional well-being of children;
       Whereas, according to the Health Resources and Services 
     Administration's Behavioral Health Workforce Projections, 
     many areas of the United States are currently experiencing a 
     shortage of behavioral health care providers, particularly 
     those with experience in treating children and adolescents;
       Whereas a July 2021 survey by the National Council for 
     Mental Wellbeing found that, during the 12-month period 
     preceding the study--
       (1) 49 percent of LGBTQ+ adults experienced more stress and 
     mental health challenges, but only 41 percent said they 
     received treatment or care of any kind for their mental 
     health;
       (2) 46 percent of Black adults experienced more stress and 
     mental health challenges, but only 21 percent said they 
     received treatment or care of any kind for their mental 
     health;
       (3) 45 percent of Native American adults experienced more 
     stress and mental health challenges, but only 24 percent 
     received treatment or care of any kind for their mental 
     health;
       (4) 42 percent of Hispanic adults experienced more stress 
     and mental health challenges, but only 26 percent said they 
     received treatment or care of any kind for their mental 
     health;
       (5) 40 percent of Asian adults experienced more stress and 
     mental health challenges, but only 11 percent said they 
     received treatment or care of any kind for their mental 
     health; and
       (6) 47 percent of all adults surveyed stated that the cost 
     of help or treatment was an obstacle in seeking treatment for 
     their mental health;
       Whereas the number of adults reporting suicidal ideation in 
     2021 increased by 664,000 when compared with the 2020 
     dataset;
       Whereas the 2021 National Veteran Suicide Prevention Annual 
     Report stated that veterans--
       (1) account for 13.7 percent of suicides among United 
     States adults; and
       (2) have a 52.3 percent greater rate of suicide than the 
     non-veteran United States population;
       Whereas individuals between 10 and 24 years of age account 
     for 14 percent of all suicides;
       Whereas suicide is the ninth leading cause of death for 
     adults between 35 and 64 years of age, and adults between 35 
     and 64 years of age account for 47.2 percent of all suicides 
     in the United States;
       Whereas, in 2021, adults with disabilities were 3 times 
     more likely to report suicidal ideation, at 30.6 percent in 
     the month preceding the study, compared to individuals 
     without disabilities, at 8.3 percent; and
       Whereas it would be appropriate to observe May 2022 as 
     ``Mental Health Awareness Month'': Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the designation of May 2022 as ``Mental Health 
     Awareness Month'' to remove the stigma associated with mental 
     illness and place emphasis on scientific findings regarding 
     mental health recovery;
       (2) declares mental health to be a national priority;
       (3) recognizes that mental well-being is as important as 
     physical well-being for citizens, communities, schools, 
     businesses, and the economy in the United States;
       (4) applauds the coalescing of national, State, local, 
     medical, and faith-based organizations in--
       (A) working to promote public awareness of mental health; 
     and
       (B) providing critical information and support during the 
     COVID-19 pandemic to individuals and families affected by 
     mental illness; and
       (5) encourages all people of the United States to draw on 
     ``Mental Health Awareness Month'' as an opportunity to 
     promote mental well-being and awareness, ensure access to 
     appropriate coverage and services, and support overall 
     quality of life for those living with mental illness.

                          ____________________