PRINTER'S NO. 2790
No. 465 Session of 2005
INTRODUCED BY BEBKO-JONES, BALDWIN, BARRAR, BASTIAN, BELARDI,
BISHOP, BOYD, BUNT, CALTAGIRONE, CAPPELLI, CAUSER, FICHTER,
FORCIER, FRANKEL, FREEMAN, GABIG, GANNON, GEIST, GEORGE,
GINGRICH, GODSHALL, GOOD, GOODMAN, GRUITZA, HARHAI, HARHART,
MANDERINO, MANN, MARKOSEK, MARSICO, McGEEHAN, McGILL,
McILHATTAN, MILLARD, S. MILLER, MUNDY, NAILOR, O'NEILL,
PALLONE, PAYNE, SANTONI, SATHER, SCAVELLO, SCHRODER, SHANER,
B. SMITH, SONNEY, STABACK, SURRA, TANGRETTI, E. Z. TAYLOR,
THOMAS, TIGUE, CLYMER, CORRIGAN, CRAHALLA, CREIGHTON, CRUZ,
DALEY, DeLUCA, DENLINGER, DERMODY, DeWEESE, DiGIROLAMO,
DONATUCCI, J. EVANS, FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, HASAY, HENNESSEY,
HERMAN, HERSHEY, HESS, JAMES, KOTIK, LEDERER, MAITLAND,
PHILLIPS, PICKETT, RAMALEY, READSHAW, REED, ROSS, RUBLEY,
SAINATO AND BENNINGHOFF, OCTOBER 17, 2005
To Calendar under Rule 35-Uncontested Calendar October 17, 2005
A RESOLUTION
1 Designating the week of October 2 through 8, 2005, as "Mental
2 Illness Awareness Week" in Pennsylvania.
3 WHEREAS, Serious mental illnesses are biological brain
4 disorders that are definable and treatable; and
5 WHEREAS, More than 1 million people throughout this
6 Commonwealth are affected by a form of mental illness such as
7 schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, panic
8 disorder or obsessive compulsive disorder; and
9 WHEREAS, Mental illness can affect persons of any age, race,
10 religion or income and are not the result of personal weakness,
11 lack of character or poor upbringing; and
12 WHEREAS, Many individuals with mental illness are capable of
1 working, attending college and making important contributions to
2 their communities and this Commonwealth; and
3 WHEREAS, Efforts need to be made to combat the stigma
4 associated with mental illness, including greater awareness that
5 these disorders cannot be overcome by willpower and are not
6 related to a person's character or intelligence; and
7 WHEREAS, Early identification and treatment of mental illness
8 is of vital importance, with early treatment accelerating
9 recovery and protecting the brain from further harm related to
10 the course of illness; and
11 WHEREAS, The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, the
12 nation's voice on mental illness, has reported that between 70%
13 and 90% of individuals have significant reduction of symptoms
14 and improved quality of life with a combination of
15 pharmacological and psychosocial treatments and supports;
16 therefore be it
17 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
18 week of October 2 through 8, 2005, as "Mental Illness Awareness
19 Week" in Pennsylvania.
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