Res. No. 1374-A

Resolution establishing June 8 annually as Teen Mental Health Awareness Day in the City of New York

By Council Members Cohen and Rosenthal

                     Whereas, The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has estimated that 20 percent of young people between the ages of 13 and 18 live with a mental health condition and 50 percent of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by the age of 14; and

                     Whereas, According to the ThriveNYC Mental Health Roadmap, 8 percent of public high school students in New York City report suicide attempts, and 73,000 report feeling sad or hopeless each month; and

                     Whereas, The Mental Health Roadmap also noted that 27 percent of New York City public high school students reported feeling sad or hopeless almost every day for two or more weeks and that only 18 percent of those students received help from a counselor; and

                     Whereas, Despite the prevalence of mental health issues among young people in New York City, not all of those who need treatment receive it; and

                     Whereas, The Mental Health Roadmap reported that while 26 percent of CUNY students suffer from significant anxiety, just 10 percent of CUNY students receive help from campus counseling or the health center; and

                     Whereas; Beyond the cost of unfulfilled human potential, mental illness also imposes a heavy financial burden; and

                     Whereas; In a 2015 report, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene found that New York City suffers $14 billion in annual productivity losses due to depression and substance misuse; and

                     Whereas, Reducing the stigma that surrounds mental health treatment has been one of the core objectives of ThriveNYC; and

                     Whereas, A 2008 study performed at the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania found that providing teenagers and young adults with information about the effectiveness of depression treatment reduced the prevalence of preexisting negative stereotypes about the condition; and

                     Whereas, Additionally, years of research on the brain have shown that the prefrontal cortex is not fully developed in teenagers and young adults, thereby inhibiting their ability to make decisions, plan for the future, and regulate their emotions; and

                     Whereas, A teen mental health awareness day could start conversations across the city that destigmatize mental illness and encourage teenagers to seek the treatment and services they need; and

                     Whereas, In light of the pervasiveness of mental illnesses among young people, the current gaps in access to mental healthcare, and the inherent psychological vulnerabilities of adolescents and young people, mental health awareness deserves extensive engagement on the part of city government; now, therefore, be it

                     Resolved, That the Council of the City of New York establishes June 8 annually as Teen Mental Health Awareness Day in the City of New York

LS#10185

3/29/2017

MK