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HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, Mental health is a state of well-being in which
3the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope
4with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and
5fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her
6community; and
 
7    WHEREAS, There is a stigma around mental health issues
8that can often prevent informed conversations on mental health
9issues as well as proper treatment from taking place; removing
10the stigma surrounding mental health issues will allow those
11suffering with mental health issues to more easily seek
12treatment and gain an understanding of their condition; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Mental illnesses are health conditions that are
14characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior,
15or some combination thereof, associated with distress or
16impaired functioning; behavioral health is defined as the
17behaviors and biology relating to a person's mental
18well-being, ability to function in everyday life, and concept
19of self; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Mental illnesses take on a wide variety of forms,
21including, but not limited to, mood disorders such as
22depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, dementias, and

 

 

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1eating disorders, which can be associated with learning
2disabilities; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Learning disabilities are neurologically based
4mental processing disabilities that can give rise to
5difficulties in acquiring knowledge and skills; learning
6disabilities include, but are not limited to, autism,
7dyslexia, visual processing disorders, auditory processing
8disorders, ADHD, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and dyspraxia; and
 
9    WHEREAS, Children with learning disabilities are
10disproportionately affected by mental health issues; 36% of
11children with a learning disability will also develop mental
12health issues; and
 
13    WHEREAS, Mental health is essential to one's overall
14health and well-being, and mental health issues can strike a
15person regardless of his or her age, gender, race, ethnicity,
16religion, or economic status; and
 
17    WHEREAS, There is a lack of awareness of how to treat
18mental health issues and of resources available for that
19purpose; there is also a crisis of unaddressed mental health
20issues in the United States and the State of Illinois; and
 
21    WHEREAS, Those suffering from a mental illness and their

 

 

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1loved ones often do not understand how to identify the
2symptoms and warning signs; and
 
3    WHEREAS, Untreated mental health issues lead to lost
4potential and numerous societal problems, such as increased
5incarceration rates, substance abuse rates, and emergency room
6visits; and
 
7    WHEREAS, According to the National Institute of Mental
8Health, there are an estimated 43.7 million adults with a
9mental disorder, or 18.6% of the total adult population in the
10United States; just over 20% of American children, either
11currently or at some point during their life, have or will have
12a seriously debilitating mental disorder; and
 
13    WHEREAS, The National Survey on Drug Use and Health found
14that only 58.7% of adults in the United States with a serious
15mental illness received treatment for a mental health problem;
16and
 
17    WHEREAS, The National Health and Nutrition Examination
18Survey found that only 50.6% of children with mental disorders
19had received treatment for their disorder within the past
20year; and
 
21    WHEREAS, With proper treatment, many mental health

 

 

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1problems can dissipate or be reduced to a level where the
2person can fully function; and
 
3    WHEREAS, According to the National Alliance on Mental
4Illness, successful treatment rates for mental illness are
5extremely high and range from between 60% to 80%; the
6successful treatment rate for schizophrenia is roughly 60%,
7while depression is 70% and bipolar disorder is 80%; and
 
8    WHEREAS, People with mental illness who are in treatment
9can lead full, productive lives in their communities; and
 
10    WHEREAS, The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that
1189.3 million Americans live in federally designated Mental
12Health Professional Shortage areas, where there is little to
13no access to mental health professionals; and
 
14    WHEREAS, A Journal of Psychiatric Services survey found
15that 47% of people untreated for mental health issues reported
16cost as a reason not to seek treatment; the same survey also
17found that 66% of untreated mental health patients did not go
18to a doctor because they thought the problem would get better
19on its own; and
 
20    WHEREAS, Six of 12 City of Chicago public mental health
21clinics were closed in 2012; and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, A total of 64.2% of inmates in local jails
2satisfied the criteria for a mental health problem currently
3or in the previous year; and
 
4    WHEREAS, The United States Department of Justice's Survey
5of Inmates in State and Federal Correctional Facilities found
6that fewer than half of inmates with a mental health problem
7have ever received treatment and only one-third received
8mental health treatment after admission; and
 
9    WHEREAS, The National Alliance on Mental Illness found
10that states collectively cut $1.8 billion from their mental
11health budgets during the recession; the organization also
12found that, from 2009 to 2012, Illinois cut mental health
13funding by $187 million, a 31.7% reduction; Illinois cut the
14fourth most of any state during this time period; and
 
15    WHEREAS, The Affordable Care Act makes behavioral and
16mental health treatment available to people throughout the
17country, especially those who could not previously afford
18treatment; and
 
19    WHEREAS, Mental health issues influence all branches of
20State government, including public health, children and family
21services, criminal justice, housing, employment, and other

 

 

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1services; and
 
2    WHEREAS, It should be a fundamental goal of the State of
3Illinois to ensure proper awareness, identification, and
4treatment for mental health issues; therefore, be it
 
5    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
6HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
7we acknowledge the seriousness of mental health issues in
8Illinois and strive to improve awareness and treatment of
9these issues; and be it further
 
10    RESOLVED, That we urge the members of the General Assembly
11to have discussions and forums with their communities to
12promote awareness of mental health issues and access to mental
13health resources; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That we encourage the members of the General
15Assembly and all school districts in Illinois to post
16information on mental health issues and local treatment
17resources on their public websites; and be it further
 
18    RESOLVED, That we encourage all school districts in
19Illinois to implement mental health screenings to properly
20identify students with mental health problems; and be it
21further
 

 

 

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1    RESOLVED, That we encourage the federal government to
2improve mental health awareness, treatment, and funding to
3improve the lives of citizens struggling with mental health
4issues; and be it further
 
5    RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be
6delivered to President Joe Biden, the United States House of
7Representatives, and the United States Senate to review and
8discuss at the national level.