A resolution 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".

III 118TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. RES. 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’’. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES JUNE 1, 2023 Mr. KING (for himself, Mr. CORNYN, and Mr. PADILLA) submitted the following resolution; which was considered and agreed to RESOLUTION 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’’. 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 ad- ditional 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 sur- vey, estimate that, in 2021, more than 4 in 10 (42 per- VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:08 Jun 02, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR235.ATS SR235 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 2 •SRES 235 ATS cent) high school students felt persistently sad or hope- less, 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 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 individ- uals aged 10 to 14; (2) the third leading cause of death among individ- uals 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 cri- sis and creating awareness as early as possible is as im- portant as ever: Now, therefore, be it Resolved, That the Senate— 1 (1) recognizes the importance of connecting 2 children with appropriate mental and behavioral 3 health services and supports; 4 VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:08 Jun 02, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\SR235.ATS SR235 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS 3 •SRES 235 ATS (2) seeks to create awareness for the additional 1 challenges children and their families have faced 2 during the COVID–19 pandemic due to isolation 3 from family and peers, barriers to services, and ex- 4 posure to traumas; 5 (3) supports programs and services aimed at 6 providing access to care, building resiliency, and ad- 7 dressing trauma; and 8 (4) shows appreciation and gratitude for family 9 members, friends, educators, mental and behavioral 10 health service providers, and others in their support 11 for the mental health and well-being of children. 12 Æ VerDate Sep 11 2014 02:08 Jun 02, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6301 E:\BILLS\SR235.ATS SR235 kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS