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PRINTER'S NO. 3017
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 443
Session of
2026
INTRODUCED BY CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, SCHLOSSBERG, CONKLIN, McNEILL,
VENKAT, WAXMAN, HILL-EVANS, SAPPEY, RIVERA, FREEMAN, KHAN,
SANCHEZ, VITALI, HOHENSTEIN, ISAACSON, OTTEN, MERSKI,
ZIMMERMAN, GALLAGHER, NEILSON, MENTZER, CIRESI, MAYES,
DOUGHERTY, COOPER, BOYD, PARKER AND DEASY, MARCH 17, 2026
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, MARCH 18, 2026
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of May 2026 as "Mental Health Awareness
Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Mental health is critical to the overall well-being
of individuals, families, communities and businesses; and
WHEREAS, Mental illnesses are biologically based brain
disorders that cannot be overcome through willpower and are not
related to an individual's character or intelligence; and
WHEREAS, Mental health issues can affect individuals of any
race, religion, economic status or age; and
WHEREAS, Mental illnesses usually strike individuals in the
prime of their lives, often during adolescence and young
adulthood; and
WHEREAS, Individuals with mental illness have the same needs
and are guaranteed the same rights as all Americans; and
WHEREAS, Individuals with mental illness experience
discrimination in education, employment and housing; and
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WHEREAS, A lack of full and proper treatment for individuals
with mental illness costs public and private employers hundreds
of billions of dollars annually through absenteeism, turnover
and low productivity; and
WHEREAS, In 2021, the National Institutes of Health estimated
that more than 20% of adolescents 12 to 17 years of age, a
population of 5 million adolescents, experienced a major
depressive episode (MDE); and
WHEREAS, Individuals are classified as having an MDE if they
experience a depressed mood or loss of interest in daily
activities and have additional symptoms, including problems with
sleep, eating, energy, concentration or self-worth, over a
certain period of time; and
WHEREAS, The National Institute of Mental Health estimates
that approximately 59.3 million adults in the United States have
a mental illness that includes a mental, behavioral or emotional
disorder; and
WHEREAS, Proper identification and treatment of mental
illnesses, including support, are proven to be effective and are
vitally important to assist individuals in leading full,
productive lives; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
month of May 2026 as "Mental Health Awareness Month" in
Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That all government agencies, public and private
institutions, businesses, schools and residents of this
Commonwealth strive to increase awareness and understanding of
mental illnesses and the need for appropriate and accessible
services for individuals with mental illness throughout the
communities of this Commonwealth.
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