2023 -- H 6352
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LC002872
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
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H O U S 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: Representatives Baginski, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Chippendale, Cruz,
Alzate, Casey, Boylan, Stewart, and Potter
Date Introduced: May 02, 2023
Referred To: House read and passed
WHEREAS, A mental illness is a condition that affects a person's thinking, feeling or 1
mood and every year, millions of Americans are faced with the reality and circumstances of 2
living with this condition; and 3
WHEREAS, Since 1949, Mental Health America, joined by organizations from across 4
the country, have led the observance of May as Mental Health Month, with the mission of raising 5
awareness and educating the public about mental health. This year marks its 74th Anniversary; 6
and 7
WHEREAS, Mental Health Awareness Month strives to fight the stigma, attitudes, and 8
misconceptions that surround mental illnesses, and to provide support, educate the public, and 9
advocate for policies that support people with mental illness and their families; and 10
WHEREAS, One of the main reasons why individuals do not seek professional help is 11
due to the stigma that surrounds mental health. Individuals are afraid to seek the help and 12
treatment they need because they may be judged, ridiculed and shunned by others or they may 13
even judge themselves and resultantly, they often live in silence about their undiagnosed mental 14
health disorder; and 15
WHEREAS, Anyone can experience the challenges of mental illness regardless of their 16
background, age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion or economic status; and 17
WHEREAS, Depression affects over 17.3 million people in the United States each year. 18
It is the number one cause of disability worldwide and the primary reason why a person dies of 19
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suicide every fourteen minutes; and 1
WHEREAS, Suicide is the 12
th
leading cause of death in the United States and more than 2
45,900 people are dying by suicide each year; and 3
WHEREAS, The pandemic has had a disruptive impact on the lives of people worldwide, 4
with nearly 32.3 percent of adults in the United State reporting that their mental health has been 5
negatively impacted due to worry and stress over the virus, but for teenagers and young people, 6
particularly those in the LGBTQ+ community, the experience has been overwhelming, 7
accelerating an already worrying decline in their mental health and spurring a youth mental health 8
crisis; and 9
WHEREAS, Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people between the 10
ages of 15 and 24, and the resulting restrictions from the virus has precipitated an epidemic of 11
mental health conditions among children and young people; and 12
WHEREAS, Mental Health Awareness Month is a time to bring about change through 13
compassion, concern, open-mindedness, and understanding, and to celebrate the journeys of 14
resiliency and recovery of individuals living with mental illness; now, therefore be it 15
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby 16
commemorates May of 2023, as "Mental Health Awareness Month", and urges schools, 17
businesses, government agencies, and healthcare providers to commit to promoting and ensuring 18
innovative prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, and to spreading awareness through education 19
programs and understanding for mental health issues; and be it further 20
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to 21
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral 22
Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals and the Mental Health Association of 23
Rhode Island (MHARI). 24
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LC002872
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