H.R. No. 529
 
 
 
R E S O L U T I O N
 
         WHEREAS, The observance of Mental Illness Awareness Day on
  February 19, 2015, brings much-needed attention to a serious and
  often misunderstood issue that affects the lives of millions of
  Texans; and
         WHEREAS, An estimated one in four American adults suffers
  from a mental disorder in a given year, and one-fifth of young
  people ages 13 to 18 experience a mental health condition that
  causes severe functional impairment; the most common form of mental
  illness is anxiety disorders, which are believed to affect 18
  percent of the adult population; and
         WHEREAS, Major depression, which affects 6.7 percent of
  adults, is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is
  associated with a significant risk of suicide; in the
  15-to-24-year-old age group, suicide accounts for 20 percent of all
  deaths annually, and over 90 percent of those who die by suicide had
  one or more mental disorders; and
         WHEREAS, The impact of mental illness on military veterans is
  a growing cause for concern; among service members who have been
  deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan, one in five has been formally
  diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, and experts believe
  that many more could be affected because of inadequacies in
  screening and diagnosis; a particularly worrying trend is the high
  suicide rate of veterans relative to the general population, with
  an estimated 22 committing suicide every day; and
         WHEREAS, For some, the stigma associated with mental illness
  can result in discrimination and bullying and take a damaging toll
  on relationships with loved ones; although mentally ill individuals
  are far more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators,
  there is a widespread perception that persons living with mental
  health conditions pose a threat to others; and
         WHEREAS, In spite of its prevalence and debilitating effects,
  mental illness often goes undiagnosed and untreated; roughly half
  of all people experiencing homelessness have severe mental health
  or substance abuse issues, and far more Texans with serious mental
  illness are in jails and prisons than in hospitals; and
         WHEREAS, Today, because of new discoveries in genetics,
  modern brain research, and psychiatry, mental illness is no longer
  the frightening mystery that it once was; advances in medical
  science have revealed that serious mental disorders have a
  biological basis similar to physical ailments like heart disease
  and diabetes; moreover, like the heart, the human brain is a vital
  organ whose illnesses can be successfully treated; and
         WHEREAS, Sophisticated medicines can greatly ease the
  suffering of patients with mental illness and help many return to
  normal, productive, and rewarding lives; according to a 2009
  report, increased mental health expenditures could also be a strong
  economic stimulus, with a potential return of $23 for every $1 spent
  on mental health services in Texas; and
         WHEREAS, Agencies and organizations across the state and
  nation are committed to improving the quality of life of persons
  with mental illness by promoting treatment and prevention,
  eliminating stigma, increasing housing opportunities, and
  advancing smart investment in mental health services; Mental
  Illness Awareness Day provides an opportunity to acknowledge the
  commendable efforts of these groups to ensure that effective mental
  health care is available for every Texan in need; now, therefore, be
  it
         RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
  Legislature hereby recognize February 19, 2015, as Mental Illness
  Awareness Day at the State Capitol and encourage all Texans to learn
  more about this important health matter.
 
  King of Taylor
  Burkett
  Naishtat
  Coleman
 
 
Straus Guerra Otto
 
Allen Guillen Paddie
 
Alonzo Gutierrez Parker
 
Alvarado Harless Paul
 
Anchia Hernandez Peña
 
Anderson of Dallas Herrero Phelan
 
Anderson of McLennan Howard Phillips
 
Ashby Huberty Pickett
 
Aycock Hughes Price
 
Bell Hunter Raney
 
Blanco Isaac Raymond
 
Bohac Israel Reynolds
 
Bonnen of Brazoria Johnson Riddle
 
Bonnen of Galveston Kacal Rinaldi
 
Burkett Keffer Rodriguez of Bexar
 
Burns Keough Rodriguez of Travis
 
Burrows King of Hemphill Romero, Jr.
 
Button King of Parker Rose
 
Canales King of Taylor Sanford
 
Capriglione King of Uvalde Schaefer
 
Clardy Klick Schofield
 
Coleman Koop Shaheen
 
Collier Krause Sheets
 
Cook Kuempel Sheffield
 
Craddick Landgraf Simmons
 
Crownover Larson Simpson
 
Dale Laubenberg Smith
 
Darby Leach Smithee
 
Davis of Dallas Longoria Spitzer
 
Davis of Harris Lozano Springer
 
Deshotel Lucio III Stephenson
 
Dukes Márquez Stickland
 
Dutton Martinez Thompson of Brazoria
 
Elkins Martinez Fischer Thompson of Harris
 
Faircloth McClendon Tinderholt
 
Fallon Menéndez Turner of Collin
 
Farias Metcalf Turner of Harris
 
Farney Meyer Turner of Tarrant
 
Farrar Miles VanDeaver
 
Fletcher Miller of Comal Villalba
 
Flynn Miller of Fort Bend Vo
 
Frank Moody Walle
 
Frullo Morrison White of Bell
 
Galindo Muñoz, Jr. White of Tyler
 
Geren Murphy Workman
 
Giddings Murr Wray
 
Goldman Naishtat Wu
 
Gonzales Nevárez Zedler
 
González Oliveira Zerwas
 
  ______________________________
  Speaker of the House     
 
         I certify that H.R. No. 529 was adopted by the House on February
  19, 2015, by a non-record vote.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House