[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 24, 2024)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5346-S5347]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 769--RECOGNIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF MENTAL HEALTH FOR 
   YOUTH IN THE UNITED STATES, AND EXPRESSING THE PRESSING NEED FOR 
     AWARENESS AND SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE FOR CHILDREN AND 
                              ADOLESCENTS

  Mr. PADILLA (for himself and Mr. Tillis) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 769

       Whereas, over the past few decades and during the COVID-19 
     pandemic, mental health issues among young people have 
     steadily become worse;
       Whereas the Department of Health and Human Services 
     estimates that 49.5 percent of adolescents in the United 
     States have faced a mental health disorder at some point in 
     their lives;
       Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 
     stated that in 2020, during

[[Page S5347]]

     the COVID-19 pandemic, mental health-related emergency room 
     visits for children aged 5 through 11 years increased by 24 
     percent, and for children aged 12 through 17 years increased 
     more than 30 percent;
       Whereas according to the Centers for Disease Control and 
     Prevention--
       (1) suicide is the third leading cause of death among 14- 
     to 18-year-olds in the United States; and
       (2) over 20 percent of high school students seriously 
     consider attempting suicide and 10 percent attempt to take 
     their lives;
       Whereas the National Institute of Mental Health states that 
     mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, can 
     lead to a higher propensity to engage in substance use; and
       Whereas youth populations in rural or underserved areas are 
     less likely to be connected to mental health care: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate recognizes the importance of 
     mental health among youth in the United States, and that in 
     order to increase awareness for mental health care for 
     children and adolescents, the Federal Government must work 
     collaboratively to--
       (1) encourage States, local educational agencies, schools, 
     and community organizations to support children, youth, and 
     students experiencing mental health challenges at all grade 
     levels by--
       (A) improving the professional development given to 
     educators so that educators are better equipped to--
       (i) support student well-being through evidence-based 
     prevention strategies; and
       (ii) respond to signs and symptoms of mental health 
     disorders among students that educators are in direct contact 
     with;
       (B) recognizing that young children often go misdiagnosed, 
     undiagnosed, or face stigma when it comes to mental health 
     disorders, and therefore lack adequate services and support 
     when dealing with mental health challenges and crises;
       (C) raising awareness for high-quality school- and campus-
     based mental health services that are evidence-based and 
     trauma-informed; and
       (D) evaluating the preservation of continuity of care for 
     students whose treatment is interrupted;
       (2) recognize that mental health and physical health are 
     intertwined and can be treated through integrated care 
     services, and that age is not a determinant for experiencing 
     a mental health disorder, in that children can face mental 
     health challenges even in early childhood;
       (3) recognize the urgency for increasing public knowledge 
     of mental health disorders by encouraging Federal, State, and 
     local institutions to disseminate robust resources regarding 
     the effects and available treatment options for various 
     mental health disorders;
       (4) address the stigmas associated with mental health 
     challenges by urging States to adopt peer-to-peer mental 
     health treatment models that prioritize community-based care;
       (5) create a comprehensive strategy to contact isolated 
     communities with little access to knowledge about and 
     resources for supporting young people experiencing mental 
     health disorders; and
       (6) address and prevent adverse childhood experiences, 
     including previous childhood trauma, and other childhood and 
     family risk factors that can lead to involvement in the 
     justice and child welfare systems.

                          ____________________