[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 95 (Thursday, June 1, 2023)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1902-S1903]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 235--SUPPORTING THE DESIGNATION OF THE WEEK OF MAY 7, 
2023, AS ``CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK'' AND MAY 11, 2023, 
             AS ``CHILDREN'S MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS DAY''

  Mr. KING (for himself, Mr. Cornyn, and Mr. Padilla) submitted the 
following resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 235

       Whereas children in the United States have been documented 
     to have undergone an acute public health crisis of mental and 
     behavioral health for many years, even before the additional 
     challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic;
       Whereas a 2022 study found as many as 1 in 5 children in 
     the United States have a mental, emotional, or behavioral 
     health condition;
       Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 
     based on survey data from the Youth Risk behavior survey, 
     estimate that, in 2021, more than 4 in 10 (42 percent) high 
     school students felt persistently sad or hopeless, and nearly 
     1 in 3 (29 percent) experienced poor mental health;
       Whereas, in 2019, according to the Census Bureau, over 11 
     percent of children aged 3 to

[[Page S1903]]

     17 received treatment or counseling from a mental health 
     professional;
       Whereas, according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention, suicide is--
       (1) the second leading cause of death among individuals 
     aged 10 to 14;
       (2) the third leading cause of death among individuals aged 
     15 to 24; and
       (3) the tenth leading cause of death for individuals aged 5 
     to 9;
       Whereas there has been a significant increase in demand for 
     mental health services for children, including a more than 30 
     percent increase in mental health visits to emergency 
     departments for children aged 12 to 17 from 2019 to April 
     2020;
       Whereas barriers exist to access to mental health delivery 
     systems, particularly 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 providing 
     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.

                          ____________________