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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2013 - 2014
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 31, 2014 11:51 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Florindo J. Fabrizio |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day in Pennsylvania |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce a resolution recognizing May 9, 2014, as "Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day" in Pennsylvania. Mental health, an essential part of children's overall health, has a complex interactive relationship with their physical health and their ability to succeed in school, at work and in society. Today, about four million children and adolescents in the United States suffer from serious mental disorders. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in the United States, 21 %of children ages nine to 17 have a diagnosable mental or addictive disorder that causes at least minimal impairment. In Pennsylvania, about 129,000 children live with serious mental health conditions, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Research has yielded important advances in the development of effective treatment for children and adolescents living with mental illness. Early identification and treatment prevents the loss of critical developmental years that cannot be recovered and helps young people avoid years of unnecessary suffering. Early and effective mental health treatment can prevent a significant proportion of delinquent and violent youth from future violence and crime. It also enables children and adolescents to succeed in school, to develop socially and to fully experience the developmental opportunities of childhood. Please join me by co-sponsoring this resolution as we continue to draw attention to the importance of children’s mental health and well-being. Promoting mental health awareness and knowing the warning signs of mental health problems are essential to improving and saving young people who might be at risk for mental illness. |