SLS 23RS-810 ORIGINAL
2023 Regular Session
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 58
BY SENATOR LUNEAU
SPECIAL DAY/WEEK/MONTH. Designates May 4, 2023, as Rural Mental Health Day
at the Louisiana State Capitol.
1 A RESOLUTION
2 To designate May 4, 2023, as Rural Mental Health Day at the Louisiana State Capitol and
3 to commend the board of directors, staff, and provider members of the Louisiana
4 Rural Mental Health Alliance.
5 WHEREAS, the mental health and well-being of all children, youth, adults, and
6 families in Louisiana are of fundamental importance to the legislature; and
7 WHEREAS, mental health is essential to achieve the full potential of an individual,
8 and mental health disorders can affect the ability of an individual to carry out daily tasks,
9 establish or maintain relationships, or pursue other fundamental endeavors; and
10 WHEREAS, rural areas comprise roughly eighty percent of Louisiana's total
11 geographic area and have a chronic shortage of mental health professionals; and
12 WHEREAS, there are approximately one hundred seventy-nine thousand adults in
13 the state who are living with a serious mental illness, including bipolar disorder, severe
14 depression, and schizophrenia, and one in six of Louisiana's children experience a mental
15 health disorder each year; and
16 WHEREAS, approximately one individual dies by suicide every twelve hours in
17 Louisiana each day; and
18 WHEREAS, the delays in treatment for mental health conditions are longer than
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SLS 23RS-810 ORIGINAL
1 many other health conditions; and
2 WHEREAS, early and effective treatment of mental health conditions is critical to
3 reducing the number of individuals and families who find themselves in mental health crises,
4 to breaking individual and generational cycles of mental illness, and to promoting healing;
5 and
6 WHEREAS, recovery from a mental illness requires access to professional and
7 rehabilitative services and involves families and caregivers as allies in recovery; and
8 WHEREAS, individuals with mental health conditions can recover and lead full,
9 productive lives; and
10 WHEREAS, maintaining an open dialogue regarding mental health conditions
11 encourages individuals struggling with mental illness to seek help and is an essential
12 component to fighting the stigma associated with mental illness.
13 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
14 does hereby recognize Thursday, May 4, 2023, as Rural Mental Health Day at the Louisiana
15 State Capitol.
16 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the citizens of the great state of Louisiana are
17 encouraged to raise awareness of mental health conditions and services and to break the
18 stigma surrounding mental illness in the state of Louisiana.
19 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
20 Katie Corkern, the executive director of the Louisiana Rural Mental Health Alliance.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Kathy Liberty.
DIGEST
SR 58 Original 2023 Regular Session Luneau
To designate May 4, 2023, as Rural Mental Health Day at the Louisiana State Capitol.
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