That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that—
the House of Representatives should acknowledge the horrific toll that mental illness has had on the youth of America;
the House of Representatives should acknowledge that youth from communities of color face racial disparities when it comes to access and treatment of mental illness;
gaining access to mental health resources is a necessity and should be available to everyone regardless of race or ethnicity;
the House of Representatives needs to take immediate action to address these disparities and ensure that those who need treatment can receive it;
the House of Representatives needs to ensure Federal funding is provided for mental health professionals in schools and afterschool programs;
funding and training needs to be available to any parent, supervisor, or other professional who work with youth of color so they have a greater awareness of the signs and symptoms so that the children and adolescents can get connected to services;
more research and awareness need to be done by the Federal Government, especially within the Department of Health and Human Services and by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, on what can be done to help youth in communities of color gain access to mental health resources; and
the Federal Government, especially the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education, should research best practices and incentives for those considering education in wanting to work in the mental health field, and how it can help increase the number of ethnically and racially diverse professionals.