Title
To designate October 6 -12, as Mental Illness Awareness Week.
Body
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 which, 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-more common than cancer and lung or heart disease combined; and
WHEREAS, the guiding principles of community mental health care have always been comprehensiveness, cost-efficiency, effective management, and high quality and consumer-responsive services; and
WHEREAS, the Franklin County Suicide Prevention Coalition is working diligently to raise awareness of mental health, mental illnesses and insurance discrimination against people with mental illnesses; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
That this Council does hereby recognize October 6th - 12th as Mental Illness Awareness Week in Columbus, Ohio and calls upon the entire Columbus community to recommit ourselves to increasing awareness and understanding of mental illnesses and the need for appropriate and accessible services for all people with mental illnesses.