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TO DESIGNATE THE MONTH OF MAY 2009 AS "MENTAL HEALTH MONTH" IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY AWARENESS AND UNDERSTANDING OF MENTAL ILLNESS AND THE NEED FOR APPROPRIATE AND ACCESSIBLE SERVICES FOR ALL PEOPLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS.
Whereas, the members of the Senate call upon all citizens, government agencies, public and private institutions, businesses, and schools in South Carolina to increase our State's awareness and understanding of mental illnesses; and
Whereas, mental health is critical for the well-being and vitality of our families, businesses, and communities; and
Whereas, mental illness will strike one in five Americans in a given year regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, or economic status; and
Whereas, one in five children suffers from a diagnosable mental or emotional disorder, and one in ten has a serious disorder that, if untreated, can lead to school failure, addiction, and even suicide; and
Whereas, mental disorders, collectively, make mental illness the most prevalent health problem in America today. It is more common than cancer and lung and heart disease combined; and
Whereas, the South Carolina Department of Mental Health observes Mental Health Month each year in May to raise awareness of mental health, mental illness, and insurance discrimination against people with mental illnesses; and
Whereas, the Senate commends the South Carolina Department of Mental Health as it fulfills its difficult task of educating the public about the often-misunderstood issue of mental illness. Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate:
That the members of the South Carolina Senate, by this resolution, designate the month of May 2009 as "Mental Health Month" in South Carolina and encourage community awareness and understanding of mental illness and the need for appropriate and accessible services for all people with mental illness.
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the South Carolina Department of Mental Health.
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