SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 128
WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to join
organizations across the state in observing February 6, 2019, as
Mental Illness Awareness Day at the State Capitol; and
WHEREAS, Mental illness is a serious and often
misunderstood issue that affects the lives of millions of Texans;
an estimated 25 percent of American adults and 13 percent of
young people between the ages of eight and 15 suffer from a
diagnosable mental disorder in a given year; and
WHEREAS, Major depression is a leading cause of disability
worldwide and is associated with a significant risk of suicide;
over 90 percent of those who commit suicide suffer from a mental
illness at the time of their death; and
WHEREAS, Chronic mental illness often develops early in
life; it begins by the age of 14 in approximately one-half of
cases and by the age of 24 in three-quarters of cases; and
WHEREAS, The impact of mental illness on the nation's
veterans and its active-duty military is a serious cause for
concern; among soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan,
rates of post-traumatic stress disorder reach as high as 31
percent after a year of deployment, and veterans face an
exceedingly high rate of suicide; and
WHEREAS, Police officers frequently become first responders
to persons suffering a mental health crisis; and
WHEREAS, Prevalence rates of serious mental illnesses in
jails are three to six times higher than for the general
population; and
WHEREAS, Recent scientific advances have helped to remove
the stigma once associated with mental illnesses, and
organizations across the state and nation are committed to
improving the lives of those affected by mental illness through
the promotion of prevention and treatment methods; it is truly
fitting that a day be set aside to recognize and support those
efforts; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th
Legislature, hereby recognize February 6, 2019, as Mental
Illness Awareness Day at the State Capitol; and, be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in
honor of this special occasion.
Huffman
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on February 6, 2019.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate