Bill Text: TX HCR81 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Commending mental health professionals for their contributions to the state on the occasion of National Mental Health Month.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 2)
Status: (Passed) 2017-05-10 - Signed by the Governor [HCR81 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HCR81-Enrolled.html
| H.C.R. No. 81 | ||
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| WHEREAS, National Mental Health Month is observed each May to | ||
| raise awareness about mental illness and related issues in the | ||
| United States; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Good mental health is essential to one's overall | ||
| health and well-being, but each year one in five adults, of any age, | ||
| gender, race, ethnicity, religion, and economic status, face mental | ||
| health issues; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Studies have shown that about a third of all people | ||
| experiencing mental illnesses and about half of the people living | ||
| with severe mental illnesses also confront or battle against | ||
| substance abuse, and about a third of all alcohol abusers and more | ||
| than half of all drug abusers report experiencing a mental illness; | ||
| and | ||
| WHEREAS, People with mental illness can achieve recovery and | ||
| wellness when appropriate mental health services and support are | ||
| available; cognitive behavioral therapy is particularly effective | ||
| in helping people with dual diagnoses learn to cope and to change | ||
| ineffective patterns of thinking, and involving families through | ||
| psychoeducation is an important component of successful mental | ||
| health and substance abuse treatment; moreover, publication of a | ||
| diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders has vastly | ||
| increased innovation in psychiatric treatment and clarified | ||
| diagnosis in a wide range of practice settings, and current | ||
| treatment is now more objective, consistent, and effective than | ||
| treatment in the past; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Recovery does not happen in isolation, however; it | ||
| requires a sufficient number of licensed health care providers, | ||
| including psychologists, marriage and family therapists, licensed | ||
| professional counselors, social workers, and psychiatrists, who | ||
| use their training and clinical skills to diagnose and treat | ||
| patients; and | ||
| WHEREAS, "The Mental Health Workforce Shortage in Texas" | ||
| report identifies the lack of mental health professionals and | ||
| primary care practitioners in rural communities, and this shortage | ||
| results in greater difficulty in developing the multidisciplinary, | ||
| integrated service that would be optimal for people with comorbid | ||
| conditions; and | ||
| WHEREAS, As of March 2009, more than two-thirds of Texas' 254 | ||
| counties were designated as Health Professional Shortage Areas for | ||
| mental health; state agencies and community health care | ||
| organizations report extensive problems in recruiting and training | ||
| psychologists, marriage and family therapists, licensed | ||
| professional counselors, social workers, and psychiatrists, and it | ||
| is estimated that only 39 percent of persons with mental illness and | ||
| 11 percent of persons with substance abuse issues receive needed | ||
| treatment; and | ||
| WHEREAS, The economic value of providing appropriate and | ||
| timely access to mental health services can be measured beyond | ||
| individual patient benefits to include cost savings to state and | ||
| local hospitals and reduced expenditures by state agencies and | ||
| programs, including the criminal and juvenile justice systems, | ||
| children and family services, housing, and employment; and | ||
| WHEREAS, Increased funding has been provided, but even with | ||
| these new funds, challenges remain to keep up with demand, to ensure | ||
| that the delivery system is strong, and to better integrate | ||
| behavioral health into the traditional health care system; | ||
| professional oversight, training, and clinical experience are all | ||
| essential to the effectiveness of mental health licensees, and | ||
| their success is crucial to meeting the ongoing challenges facing | ||
| the efficient delivery of quality mental health services; now, | ||
| therefore, be it | ||
| RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
| hereby commend mental health professionals for their invaluable | ||
| contributions to the citizens of this state and extend to them | ||
| sincere best wishes for success with their important work. | ||
| Clardy | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.C.R. No. 81 was adopted by the House on April | ||
| 6, 2017, by a non-record vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.C.R. No. 81 was adopted by the Senate on | ||
| April 25, 2017, by a viva-voce vote. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: __________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| __________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
