RECOGNIZING THE HISTORIC SACRIFICES AND ONGOING CONTRIBUTIONS OF DELAWARE’S COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE SERVING VULNERABLE ADULTS WITH SEVERE AND PERSISTANT MENTAL ILLNESS ON MAY 14, 2025, AS “COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE” ADVOCACY DAY.

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Kamela Smith & Sen. Pinkney

Reps. K. Johnson, Morrison, Osienski, Ross Levin, Bush, Harris; Sens. Hocker, Huxtable, Mantzavinos, Pettyjohn, Sokola, Townsend, Wilson, Hoffner, Lockman

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 45

RECOGNIZING THE HISTORIC SACRIFICES AND ONGOING CONTRIBUTIONS OF DELAWARE’S COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE SERVING VULNERABLE ADULTS WITH SEVERE AND PERSISTANT MENTAL ILLNESS ON MAY 14, 2025, AS “COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH WORKFORCE” ADVOCACY DAY.

WHEREAS, the professionals that serve people with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness do so with dedication and distinction; and

WHEREAS, thousands of vulnerable adults continue to require the community-based services of these essential workers, who are employed by non-profit organizations like Horizon House Delaware, Resources for Human Development, Conexio Care and Elwyn Behavioral Health; and

WHEREAS, these community services provide multidisciplined, highly comprehensive care to Delawareans with diagnoses such as Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Severe Depression and Anxiety; and

WHEREAS, the Community Mental Health workforce are trained and highly skilled healthcare professionals with advanced degrees and robust specializations; and

WHEREAS, funding for the Community Mental Health service system has not been adjusted since 2012 creating a funding crisis; and

WHEREAS, a recent Department of Health & Social Services rate study determined there to be large discrepancies in current reimbursement rates and the true cost of providing services causing large annual losses for providers; and

WHEREAS, access to services, continuity of care and the health and wellbeing of Delawareans with Severe and Persistent Mental Illness relies on a fully funded system of care; and

WHEREAS, the General Assembly has made previous meaningful investments in many lines of human services to stabilize their workforce and continuum of care in previous state budgets; and

WHEREAS, May is Mental Health Awareness Month and individuals with mental illness fight the stigma and shame of their diagnoses disproportionately to those with physical illnesses

.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED

by the House of

Representatives

of the 153

rd

General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the Senate

concurring therein, that the General Assembly hereby recognizes the important role of Community

Mental Health Service Providers and its workforce for the lifesaving care for our family and friends with mental illness and expresses its sincere gratitude to these essential workers for their commitment to serving their fellow human beings.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the General Assembly recognizes May 14, 2025, as “Community Mental Health Workforce” Advocacy Day.

SYNOPSIS

This resolution acknowledges the critical and immediate need for funding for community-based mental health services. It recognizes the expertise and importance of Community Mental Health providers and its workforce to Delawareans with mental illness to our state on the occasion of May 14, 2025, as “Community Mental Health Workforce” Advocacy Day, co-sponsored by the Ability Network of Delaware.