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SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 128
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WHEREAS, The Senate of the State of Texas is pleased to join |
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organizations across the state in observing February 6, 2019, as |
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Mental Illness Awareness Day at the State Capitol; and |
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WHEREAS, Mental illness is a serious and often |
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misunderstood issue that affects the lives of millions of Texans; |
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an estimated 25 percent of American adults and 13 percent of |
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young people between the ages of eight and 15 suffer from a |
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diagnosable mental disorder in a given year; and |
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WHEREAS, Major depression is a leading cause of disability |
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worldwide and is associated with a significant risk of suicide; |
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over 90 percent of those who commit suicide suffer from a mental |
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illness at the time of their death; and |
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WHEREAS, Chronic mental illness often develops early in |
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life; it begins by the age of 14 in approximately one-half of |
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cases and by the age of 24 in three-quarters of cases; and |
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WHEREAS, The impact of mental illness on the nation's |
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veterans and its active-duty military is a serious cause for |
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concern; among soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, |
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rates of post-traumatic stress disorder reach as high as 31 |
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percent after a year of deployment, and veterans face an |
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exceedingly high rate of suicide; and |
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WHEREAS, Police officers frequently become first responders |
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to persons suffering a mental health crisis; and |
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WHEREAS, Prevalence rates of serious mental illnesses in |
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jails are three to six times higher than for the general |
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population; and |
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WHEREAS, Recent scientific advances have helped to remove |
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the stigma once associated with mental illnesses, and |
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organizations across the state and nation are committed to |
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improving the lives of those affected by mental illness through |
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the promotion of prevention and treatment methods; it is truly |
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fitting that a day be set aside to recognize and support those |
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efforts; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 86th |
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Legislature, hereby recognize February 6, 2019, as Mental |
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Illness Awareness Day at the State Capitol; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in |
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honor of this special occasion. |
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Huffman |
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President of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that the |
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above Resolution was adopted by |
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the Senate on February 6, 2019. |
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________________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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________________________________ |
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Member, Texas Senate |