| R 221 |
| 2021 -- H 6293 Enacted 05/04/2021 |
| H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N |
| COMMEMORATING MAY OF 2021 AS "MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH" AND MAY 20TH OF 2021 AS "MENTAL HEALTH ACTION DAY" IN THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND |
Introduced By: Representatives Casimiro, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Speakman, Noret, Shanley, Bennett, Chippendale, Fenton-Fung, and Alzate |
| Date Introduced: May 04, 2021 |
| 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 72nd 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, 19.1 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 12th leading cause of death in the United States and according |
| to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Data & Statistics, 12 million adults, age |
| 18 or older thought about trying to kill themselves in 2019; 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 House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby |
| commemorates May of 2021 as "Mental Health Awareness Month", and May 20th of 2021 as |
| "Mental Health Action Day", 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 Department of Behavioral |
| Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals and the Mental Health Association of |
| Rhode Island (MHARI). |
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| LC002723 |
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