| R 236 |
| 2019 -- S 0809 Enacted 04/25/2019 |
| S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N |
| COMMEMORATING MAY OF 2019 AS "MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
| Introduced By: Senators Lawson, Ruggerio, Felag, Algiere, and Satchell |
| Date Introduced: April 25, 2019 |
| WHEREAS, Since 1949, Mental Health America, joined by organizations from across |
| the country, have led the observance of May as Mental Health Month, with the mission of raising |
| awareness and educating the public about mental illnesses. This year marks its 70th Anniversary; |
| and |
| WHEREAS, Mental Health Awareness Month strives to reduce the stigma, the negative |
| attitudes and misconceptions, that surround mental illnesses; and |
| WHEREAS, One of the main reasons why individuals do not seek professional help is |
| due to the stigma that surrounds mental health. Individuals are afraid to seek the help and |
| treatment they need because they may be judged, ridiculed and shunned by others or they may |
| even judge themselves and as a result, they often live in silence about their undiagnosed mental |
| health disorder; and |
| WHEREAS, Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental |
| health condition. Anyone can experience the challenges of mental illness regardless of their |
| background, age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion or economic status; and |
| WHEREAS, According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 18.1 percent of adults |
| living in the United States have experienced an anxiety disorder in the past year and nearly 1 in |
| 25 adults in America are living with a serious mental illness; and |
| WHEREAS, Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and according |
| to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Data & Statistics, 9.8 million adults, |
| age 18 or older thought about trying to kill themselves in 2015; and |
| WHEREAS, Each year millions of Americans face the reality of living with a mental |
| health condition. Mental Health Awareness Month is a time to bring about change through |
| compassion, concern, open-mindedness, and understanding, and to celebrate the journeys of |
| resiliency and recovery of individuals living with mental illness; now, therefore be it |
| RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations |
| hereby commemorates May of 2019 as "Mental Health Awareness Month" and urges schools, |
| businesses, government agencies, and health-care providers to commit to promoting and ensuring |
| innovative prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, and to spreading awareness through education |
| programs and understanding for mental health issues; and be it further |
| RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and herby is authorized and directed to |
| transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Rhode Island Division of Behavioral |
| Healthcare, and the Mental Health Association of Rhode Island (MHARI). |
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