2022 -- H 8203

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LC005854

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

COMMEMORATING MAY OF 2022, AS "MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH" IN

THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Kazarian, Carson, Fogarty, Cortvriend, Shekarchi,
Blazejewski, Casimiro, Solomon, Giraldo, and McNamara

     Date Introduced: May 03, 2022

     Referred To: House read and passed

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     WHEREAS, A mental illness is a condition that affects a person's thinking, feeling or

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mood and every year, millions of Americans are faced with the reality and circumstances of

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living with this condition; and

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     WHEREAS, Since 1949, Mental Health America, joined by organizations from across

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the country, have led the observance of May as Mental Health Month, with the mission of raising

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awareness and educating the public about mental health. This year marks its 73rd Anniversary;

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and

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     WHEREAS, Mental Health Awareness Month strives to fight the stigma, attitudes, and

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misconceptions that surround mental illnesses, and to provide support, educate the public, and

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advocate for policies that support people with mental illness and their families; and

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     WHEREAS, One of the main reasons why individuals do not seek professional help is

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due to the stigma that surrounds mental health. Individuals are afraid to seek the help and

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treatment they need because they may be judged, ridiculed and shunned by others or they may

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even judge themselves and resultantly, they often live in silence about their undiagnosed mental

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health disorder; and

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     WHEREAS, Anyone can experience the challenges of mental illness regardless of their

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background, age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion or economic status; and

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     WHEREAS, Depression affects over 18 million people in the United States each year. It

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is the number one cause of disability worldwide and the primary reason why a person dies of

 

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suicide every fourteen minutes; and

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     WHEREAS, Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States and more than

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47,000 people are dying by suicide each year; and

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     WHEREAS, The pandemic has had a disruptive impact on the lives of people worldwide,

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with nearly 45 percent of adults in the United State reporting that their mental health has been

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negatively impacted due to worry and stress over the virus, but for teenagers and young people,

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particularly those in the LGBTQ community, the experience has been overwhelming, accelerating

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an already worrying decline in their mental health and spurring a youth mental health crisis; and

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     WHEREAS, Before COVID-19 struck, approximately 1 in 5 adolescents worldwide was

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already living with mental health conditions and suicide was the third leading cause of death for

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teens between the ages of 15 and 19, and the resulting restrictions from the virus has precipitated

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an epidemic of mental health conditions among children and young people; and

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     WHEREAS, Mental Health Awareness Month is a time to bring about change through

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compassion, concern, open-mindedness, and understanding, and to celebrate the journeys of

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resiliency and recovery of individuals living with mental illness; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

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commemorates May of 2022, as "Mental Health Awareness Month", and urges schools,

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businesses, government agencies, and healthcare providers to commit to promoting and ensuring

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innovative prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, and to spreading awareness through education

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programs and understanding for mental health issues; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral

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Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals and the Mental Health Association of

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Rhode Island (MHARI).

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LC005854

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