R 272
2023 -- S 0939
Enacted 04/27/2023

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N
COMMEMORATING MAY OF 2023, AS "MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

Introduced By: Senators DiMario, F. Lombardi, Felag, Gu, Picard, Tikoian, Miller, Sosnowski, Britto, and Zurier

Date Introduced: April 25, 2023

     WHEREAS, A mental illness is a condition that affects a person's thinking, feeling or
mood and every year, millions of Americans are faced with the reality and circumstances of
living with this condition; and
     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 health. This year marks its 74th Anniversary;
and
     WHEREAS, Mental Health Awareness Month strives to fight the stigma, attitudes, and
misconceptions that surround mental illnesses, and to provide support, educate the public, and
advocate for policies that support people with mental illness and their families; 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 resultantly, they often live in silence about their undiagnosed mental
health disorder; and
     WHEREAS, Anyone can experience the challenges of mental illness regardless of their
background, age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion or economic status; and
     WHEREAS, Depression affects over 17.3 million people in the United States each year.
It is the number one cause of disability worldwide and the primary reason why a person dies of
suicide every fourteen minutes; and
     WHEREAS, Suicide is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States and more than
45,900 people are dying by suicide each year; and
     WHEREAS, The pandemic has had a disruptive impact on the lives of people worldwide,
with nearly 32.3 percent of adults in the United State reporting that their mental health has been
negatively impacted due to worry and stress over the virus, but for teenagers and young people,
particularly those in the LGBTQ+ community, the experience has been overwhelming,
accelerating an already worrying decline in their mental health and spurring a youth mental health
crisis; and
     WHEREAS, Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people between the
ages of 15 and 24, and the resulting restrictions from the virus has precipitated an epidemic of
mental health conditions among children and young people; and
     WHEREAS, 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 hereby commemorates May
of 2023, as "Mental Health Awareness Month", and urges schools, businesses, government
agencies, and healthcare 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 hereby is authorized and directed to
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral
Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals and the Mental Health Association of
Rhode Island (MHARI).
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LC002883
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