North Charlotte Today

The U.S. Senate has passed a resolution introduced by Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Alex Padilla (D-CA), co-founders of the bipartisan Senate Mental Health Caucus, addressing the mental healthcare crisis among American children and underscoring the need for increased investment in mental health care for children and adolescents.

“We owe it to the next generation to prioritize mental health care and ensure that quality mental health services are both widely available and easily accessible,” said Senator Tillis. “The mental health challenges faced by our youth today are staggering, but together, we can equip them with the necessary resources and support services to thrive now and in the future.”

Senator Padilla emphasized the severity of the situation: “The United States is in the midst of a youth mental health and addiction crisis. More than 40% of teenagers report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and youth suicide attempts, self-injury, and drug overdoses are rising. While no single factor is to blame, the acute lack of mental health and substance use treatment options for youth, the rise in social and online media, and pressures from the COVID-19 pandemic have played significant roles.”

Michele Stockwell, President of Bipartisan Policy Center (BPC) Action, also praised the resolution: “We applaud the leadership of Sens. Padilla (D-CA) and Tillis (R-NC) for recognizing the importance of this issue and raising awareness and support for the mental health of America’s youth. The Bipartisan Policy Center and BPC Action look forward to working with Congress to identify and advance bipartisan policy solutions to the youth mental health and substance use crisis.”

Over recent decades, mental health disorders have steadily risen among children and adolescents. Nearly half of adolescents in the United States face a mental health disorder at some point in their lives. Youth mental health has become a significant public health concern; suicide is currently the second leading cause of death among 10- to 14-year-olds in the United States. Additionally, many children in rural or underserved areas lack adequate mental health care infrastructure.

The full text of the resolution is available online.

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