| 1 | 1 | | 87R8194 TBO-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Thierry H.C.R. No. 31 |
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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, Adolescent mental health is a topic of critical |
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| 7 | 7 | | concern that has far-ranging implications in Texas and across the |
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| 8 | 8 | | nation; and |
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| 9 | 9 | | WHEREAS, The American Psychological Association estimates |
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| 10 | 10 | | that approximately 20 percent of children in the U.S. have a |
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| 11 | 11 | | diagnosable mental health disorder, and less than half of these |
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| 12 | 12 | | individuals receive treatment or support; common conditions that |
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| 13 | 13 | | affect youth include depression, anxiety, attention deficit |
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| 14 | 14 | | hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, eating disorders, and |
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| 15 | 15 | | psychosis; and |
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| 16 | 16 | | WHEREAS, Mental health disorders can have dangerous and |
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| 17 | 17 | | life-threatening impacts on the youth that experience them; suicide |
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| 18 | 18 | | is the third leading cause of death in teenagers aged 15 to 19, and |
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| 19 | 19 | | 62,000 adolescents worldwide died as a result of self-harm in 2016; |
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| 20 | 20 | | furthermore, evidence shows that many adolescents engage in |
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| 21 | 21 | | risk-taking behaviors and substance abuse as a means of coping with |
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| 22 | 22 | | mental health issues; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, Too many young Texans lack access to the treatment |
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| 24 | 24 | | and counseling they need to overcome such challenges; moreover, |
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| 25 | 25 | | those adolescents who do receive some form of assistance are |
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| 26 | 26 | | frequently involved with multiple public agencies, and there is |
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| 27 | 27 | | lack of central oversight to coordinate care; and |
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| 28 | 28 | | WHEREAS, Developing effective strategies and expanding |
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| 29 | 29 | | access to treatment can benefit not only the young people who |
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| 30 | 30 | | struggle with adverse mental health conditions but also their |
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| 31 | 31 | | families, schools, and communities, and an essential first step in |
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| 32 | 32 | | that process is to focus public attention on this urgent health care |
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| 33 | 33 | | issue; now, therefore, be it |
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| 34 | 34 | | RESOLVED, That the 87th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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| 35 | 35 | | hereby designate May 5 as Teen Mental Health Awareness Day; and, be |
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| 36 | 36 | | it further |
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| 37 | 37 | | RESOLVED, That, in accordance with the provisions of Section |
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| 38 | 38 | | 391.004(d), Government Code, this designation remain in effect |
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| 39 | 39 | | until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally |
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| 40 | 40 | | passed by the legislature. |
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