BILL NUMBER: ACR 150	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	RESOLUTION CHAPTER  74
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  AUGUST 9, 2010
	ADOPTED IN SENATE  AUGUST 2, 2010
	ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 28, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 28, 2010
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 10, 2010

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Carter
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Adams, Ammiano, Anderson, Arambula,
Bass, Beall, Tom Berryhill, Blakeslee, Block, Blumenfield, Bradford,
Brownley, Buchanan, Caballero, Charles Calderon, Chesbro, Cook, Coto,
Davis, De La Torre, De Leon, DeVore, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fletcher,
Fong, Fuentes, Fuller, Furutani, Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gatto,
Gilmore, Hagman, Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill, Huber,
Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Lieu, Logue, Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza,
Miller, Monning, Nava, Nestande, Niello, Nielsen, John A. Perez, V.
Manuel Perez, Portantino, Ruskin, Salas, Saldana, Silva, Skinner,
Smyth, Solorio, Audra Strickland, Swanson, Torlakson, Torres,
Torrico, Tran, Villines, and Yamada)

                        APRIL 6, 2010

   Relative to African American Mental Health Awareness Week.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 150, Carter. African American Mental Health Awareness Week.
   This measure would recognize each 2nd week of February hereafter
as African American Mental Health Awareness Week.



   WHEREAS, According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, some
mental illnesses are more prevalent in the African American
community as compared to other cultures in the United States; and
   WHEREAS, African Americans suffer as a result of suicide,
depression, misdiagnosis, over use of involuntary hospitalization,
incarceration, and self-medication via substance abuse; and
   WHEREAS, The Office of Minority Health reports that African
Americans are 30 percent more likely to report having serious
psychological distress than Whites, yet Whites are more likely to
receive treatment for a major depressive episode than African
Americans; and
   WHEREAS, Suicide is the third leading cause of death for all teens
in the United States, and the third leading cause of death for
African American youth 15 to 19 years of age, inclusive. The suicide
rate among African Americans within the last 30 years has increased
dramatically. Between 1980 and 1995 the suicide rates for African
American youth 10 to 14 years of age, inclusive, has increased by 233
percent, compared to 120 percent for comparable Whites; and
   WHEREAS, In the United States African Americans account for only 2
percent of psychiatrists, 2 percent of psychologists, and 4 percent
of social workers; and
   WHEREAS, Children in the foster care and child welfare system are
more likely to develop mental illness, and African American children
comprise 45 percent of the foster care system; and
   WHEREAS, Prison inmates are at high risk for developing mental
illness and less likely to be diagnosed with a mental illness, and
half of all prisoners in the United States are African American; and
   WHEREAS, The African American Mental Health Coalition is committed
to empowering African American communities by promoting the benefits
of mental health services, through education, advocacy, policy
development, raising awareness, and decreasing the stigma surrounding
mental health; and
   WHEREAS, The African American Mental Health Coalition has
introduced creative and innovative community-based programs and
partnered with a variety of local community organizations to help
prevent improper interventions, misdiagnosis, involuntary
incarceration, and decrease the stigma related to mental health
issues in the African American community; and
   WHEREAS, The African American Mental Health Coalition is
recognized as an important partner in the success of African American
Health Awareness Week, through its continued efforts to provide
services, information, and advocacy to individuals throughout the
African American community, and to make positive changes by
increasing awareness and eliminating barriers to care; now,
therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature recognizes each second week
of February hereafter as African American Mental Health Awareness
Week; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.