    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 134, 116th Congress, 2nd Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Proclamation 10020 of April 30, 2020
    National Mental Health Awareness Month, 2020
    By the President of the United States of America
    A Proclamation
    This year, National Mental Health Awareness Month coincides with one of
    the most complex and challenging periods in our Nation's recent
    history--combatting the coronavirus pandemic. Not only has the virus
    caused immense physical suffering and loss for many people, it

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    has also resulted in mental and emotional hardship. The stress and worry over the
    health and safety of family and friends, forced isolation, and financial
    distress can all result in anxiety, depression, substance misuse and
    abuse, and, tragically, even suicide. There is no question this is a
    difficult and unprecedented time for Americans. Yet, we know that there
    are ways to help people cope during these uncertain times, and we are
    committed to caring for those in need.
    Mental illness can affect anyone and can develop at any time. Its
    effects spread well beyond the individual to family, friends, and
    coworkers. As a Nation, we must fight the stigmas surrounding mental
    illness and empower those affected by emotional distress and their loved
    ones to seek care. We also recommit to strengthening our efforts to
    ensure every individual living with a mental illness, including children
    and young adults, our Nation's fastest growing population diagnosed with
    behavioral, mental, or emotional issues, receives the care and treatment
    they need to enjoy the blessings of a fulfilling and productive life.
    One of my first actions in response to the pandemic was to ensure easy
    access to vital medical resources. Expanded access to medical care
    through telemedicine is essential to fighting the virus. Through the
    Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, we have
    simplified access to health care and treatment without fear of the
    transmission of COVID-19 and other illnesses. By expanding Medicare
    telehealth coverage for the duration of the public health emergency, we
    have enabled our most vulnerable and high-risk populations to access
    important medical care from the comfort and safety of their home.
    Additionally, we have given $19.6 billion to the Department of Veterans
    Affairs (VA) to further support our veterans through this crisis. This
    funding covers things like expanded telehealth services, including for
    mental health, and additional access to the VA Video Connect app, which
    offers a free, secure, virtual platform for patients to receive direct
    care from their VA medical providers through video.
    Providing an uninterrupted connection to essential mental health
    treatment and social support groups through telehealth technology can be
    lifesaving, especially for the more than 11 million American adults who
    struggle with serious mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder,
    schizophrenia, or major depressive disorder. That is one of the reasons
    I have overseen a historic expansion of telehealth services to give
    people in need easier access to mental health treatments, crisis
    interventions, and other vital resources. We must continue to find
    innovative ways to link doctors, nurse practitioners, physician
    assistants, clinical psychologists, and licensed clinical social workers
    to people who need their help.
    As President, it is my top priority to ensure the health and wellness of
    all Americans, especially during the present crisis. Through the
    Community Mental Health Services Block Grant program, the Substance
    Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides
    critical funding to every State to support community services for adults
    with serious mental illnesses and children with significant emotional
    disturbances. Through these grants, States and communities have
    increased ability to make substantial improvements in treatment delivery
    and to greatly expand access to those in need of behavioral healthcare
    services. As the virus began to take hold, I ensured that SAMHSA very
    quickly began releasing $360 million in emergency grant funding to
    provide Americans with substance use treatment and

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    mental health services. Additionally, to help meet the needs of Americans during this
    crisis, I authorized the Department of Homeland Security and Federal
    Emergency Management Agency to make crisis counseling and training
    services available to States hardest hit through the Stafford Act.
    Tragically some individuals feel their problems are insurmountable, lose
    their will and hope, and succumb to suicide. We must prevent these
    tragedies. The Federal Communications Commission has designated a
    national three-digit number for suicide prevention to connect directly
    to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The proposed abbreviated
    number, 988, would make crisis help more widely available to Americans.
    Additionally, in March of 2019, I signed an Executive Order to establish
    the President's Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End a National Tragedy
    of Suicide (PREVENTS), which unites State and local governments, faith
    communities, employers, schools, and healthcare organizations through a
    whole-of-government and whole-of-Nation approach to provide world-class,
    evidence-based tactics for veteran suicide prevention. Rather than
    waiting for veterans in need to seek help, this program actively
    empowers veteran communities through local and national support
    networks. In response to the current crisis, the PREVENTS initiative--
    with Second Lady Karen Pence as Lead Ambassador--has launched the
    #MoreThanEverBefore campaign to encourage all Americans to
    compassionately reach out to veterans in need. My fiscal year 2021
    budget requests $313 million--a 32-percent increase from the enacted
    fiscal year 2020 level--to support and sustain these initiatives. My
    Administration will always champion policies and treatments to help
    all Americans appreciate the full and abundant potential of life.
    No American should ever feel alone. Let us recommit to lifting up our
    struggling friends, family members, and neighbors with the touch of
    humanity. There is always the promise of recovery, healing, and renewal.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, 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 2020 as National
    Mental Health Awareness Month. I call upon all Americans to support
    citizens suffering from mental illnesses, raise awareness of mental
    health conditions through appropriate programs and activities, and
    commit our Nation to innovative prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of
    April, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
    fourth.
    DONALD J. TRUMP