HR0912LRB100 21122 MST 37040 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, In 1990, Congress designated the first full week
3in October as Mental Illness Awareness Week in recognition of
4the efforts by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
5to raise mental illness awareness; each year the movement grows
6stronger as people work together to fight stigma, provide
7support, and advocate for equal care; and
 
8    WHEREAS, The lives of millions of Americans are affected
9daily by mental health conditions; according to NAMI,
10approximately one in five adults experiences mental illness in
11a given year, and approximately one in five young people
12experience a severe mental disorder at some point during life;
13half of all chronic mental illness begins by age 14; three
14quarters begins by age 24; despite effective treatment, there
15are long delays, sometimes decades, between the first
16appearance of symptoms and when people get help; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Each mental illness has its own symptoms, and
18trying to tell the difference between what expected behaviors
19are and what might be the signs of a mental illness is not
20always easy; there is no easy test to diagnose mental illness;
21common signs in adults and adolescents can include excessive
22worrying or fear, extreme mood changes, changes in sleeping and
23eating habits, and difficulty perceiving reality; and
 

 

 

HR0912- 2 -LRB100 21122 MST 37040 r

1    WHEREAS, Individuals living with serious mental illness
2face an increased risk of having chronic medical conditions;
3adults in the United States living with serious mental illness
4die, on average, 25 years earlier than others, largely due to
5treatable medical conditions; and
 
6    WHEREAS, Public policy makes a difference in the lives of
7both the people living with mental health conditions and the
8people in their lives; changes in policy can mean better
9outcomes; therefore, be it
 
10    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
11HUNDREDTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
12declare the week of October 7-13, 2018 as Mental Illness
13Awareness Week in the State of Illinois; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That we encourage communities throughout the
15State to come together and show support for the many people
16affected by mental illness and for those who advocate for
17mental health awareness.