[Federal Register Volume 81, Number 85 (Tuesday, May 3, 2016)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 26665-26666]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2016-10506]


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  Federal Register / Vol. 81 , No. 85 / Tuesday, May 3, 2016 / 
Presidential Documents  

[[Page 26665]]


                Proclamation 9433 of April 28, 2016

                
National Mental Health Awareness Month, 2016

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Nearly 44 million American adults, and millions of 
                children, experience mental health conditions each 
                year, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, 
                schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress. Although we 
                have made progress expanding mental health coverage and 
                elevating the conversation about mental health, too 
                many people still do not get the help they need. Our 
                Nation is founded on the belief that we must look out 
                for one another--and whether it affects our family 
                members, friends, co-workers, or those unknown to us--
                we do a service for each other when we reach out and 
                help those struggling with mental health issues. This 
                month, we renew our commitment to ridding our society 
                of the stigma associated with mental illness, encourage 
                those living with mental health conditions to get the 
                help they need, and reaffirm our pledge to ensure those 
                who need help have access to the support, acceptance, 
                and resources they deserve.

                In the last 7 years, our country has made extraordinary 
                progress in expanding mental health coverage for more 
                people across America. The Affordable Care Act 
                prohibits insurance companies from discriminating 
                against people based on pre-existing conditions, 
                requires coverage of mental health and substance use 
                disorder services in individual and small group 
                markets, and expands mental health and substance use 
                disorder parity policies, which are estimated to help 
                more than 60 million Americans. Nearly 15 million more 
                Americans have gained Medicaid coverage since October 
                2013, significantly improving access to mental health 
                care. And because of more than $100 million in funding 
                from the Affordable Care Act, community health centers 
                have expanded behavioral health services for nearly 
                900,000 people nationwide over the past 2 years. Still, 
                far too few Americans experiencing mental illnesses do 
                not receive the care and treatment they need. That is 
                why my most recent Budget proposal includes a new half-
                billion dollar investment to improve access to mental 
                health care, engage individuals with serious mental 
                illness in care, and help ensure behavioral health care 
                systems work for everyone.

                Our Nation has made strong advances in improving 
                prevention, increasing early intervention, and 
                expanding treatment of mental illnesses. Earlier this 
                year, I established a Mental Health and Substance Use 
                Disorder Parity Task Force, which aims to ensure that 
                coverage for mental health benefits is comparable to 
                coverage for medical and surgical care, improve 
                understanding of the requirements of the law, and 
                expand compliance with it. Mental health should be 
                treated as part of a person's overall health, and we 
                must ensure individuals living with mental health 
                conditions can get the treatment they need. My 
                Administration also continues to invest in science and 
                research through the BRAIN initiative to enhance our 
                understanding of the complexities of the human brain 
                and to make it easier to diagnose and treat mental 
                health disorders early.

                One of our most profound obligations as a Nation is to 
                support the men and women in uniform who return home 
                and continue fighting battles against mental illness. 
                Last year, I signed the Clay Hunt SAV Act, which fills 
                critical gaps in serving veterans with post-traumatic 
                stress and other

[[Page 26666]]

                illnesses, increases peer support and outreach, and 
                recruits more talented individuals to work on mental 
                health issues at the Department of Veterans Affairs. 
                This law will make it easier for veterans to get the 
                care they need when they need it. All Americans, 
                including service members, can get immediate assistance 
                by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 
                1-800-273-TALK or by calling 1-800-662-HELP.

                During National Mental Health Awareness Month, we 
                recognize those Americans who live with mental illness 
                and substance use disorders, and we pledge solidarity 
                with their families who need our support as well. Let 
                us strive to ensure people living with mental health 
                conditions know that they are not alone, that hope 
                exists, and that the possibility of healing and 
                thriving is real. Together, we can help everyone get 
                the support they need to recover as they continue along 
                the journey to get well.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim May 2016 as National 
                Mental Health Awareness Month. I call upon citizens, 
                government agencies, organizations, health care 
                providers, and research institutions to raise mental 
                health awareness and continue helping Americans live 
                longer, healthier lives.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                twenty-eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and fortieth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2016-10506
Filed 5-2-16; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F6-P