| 1 | 1 | | 86R2625 BK-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Thierry H.C.R. No. 16 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | CONCURRENT RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The annual observance of Mental Health Month in May |
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| 7 | 7 | | serves as an opportunity to bring about greater public |
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| 8 | 8 | | understanding of mental health issues and to promote treatment, |
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| 9 | 9 | | care, and support for those living with mental illness; and |
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| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, A mental illness is a medical condition that |
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| 11 | 11 | | disrupts a person's thinking, feeling, mood, interpersonal |
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| 12 | 12 | | relationships, and, in the most serious cases, their ability to |
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| 13 | 13 | | carry out the essential tasks of daily life; and |
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| 14 | 14 | | WHEREAS, Every year, approximately 42.5 million American |
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| 15 | 15 | | adults, comprising slightly over 18 percent of the total adult |
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| 16 | 16 | | population, suffer from some form of mental illness, such as |
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| 17 | 17 | | depression, bipolar disorder, or schizophrenia; in Texas, one in |
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| 18 | 18 | | every five adults will experience a mental health concern at some |
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| 19 | 19 | | point in a given year, and more than 20 percent of children between |
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| 20 | 20 | | the ages of 9 and 17 have a diagnosed mental illness; and |
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| 21 | 21 | | WHEREAS, Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, |
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| 22 | 22 | | race, religion, or income and are not the result of personal |
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| 23 | 23 | | weakness or lack of character; many individuals with mental health |
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| 24 | 24 | | disorders experience feelings of alienation from their peers |
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| 25 | 25 | | because of their condition, and there remains a strong stigma |
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| 26 | 26 | | attached to mental illness that can result in discrimination, |
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| 27 | 27 | | including from families, friends, employers, and others; mental |
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| 28 | 28 | | health problems can impact a person's quality of life in numerous |
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| 29 | 29 | | ways, and severe, untreated cases are associated with a higher risk |
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| 30 | 30 | | of suicide; and |
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| 31 | 31 | | WHEREAS, Innovations and advancements in mental health care, |
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| 32 | 32 | | ranging from medications and therapy to various support services, |
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| 33 | 33 | | have helped make recovery a reality for countless people; outcomes |
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| 34 | 34 | | are shown to be greatly improved when patients are engaged and |
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| 35 | 35 | | involved in their own care and when they receive acceptance and |
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| 36 | 36 | | encouragement from loved ones and peers; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | WHEREAS, Increased public awareness, support, and advocacy |
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| 38 | 38 | | are key to improving issues related to mental illness, and all |
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| 39 | 39 | | Texans are encouraged to affirm their commitment to these important |
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| 40 | 40 | | efforts; now, therefore, be it |
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| 41 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 42 | 42 | | hereby designate May as Mental Health Month; and, be it further |
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| 43 | 43 | | RESOLVED, That in accordance with the provisions of Section |
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| 44 | 44 | | 391.004(d), Government Code, this designation remain in effect |
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| 45 | 45 | | until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally |
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| 46 | 46 | | passed by the legislature. |
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