Recognize Youth Mental Health Action Day

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 26-013

BY SENATOR(S) Simpson, Amabile, Baisley, Ball, Bridges, Bright, Carson, Catlin, Coleman, Cutter, Danielson, Exum, Frizell, Gonzales J., Hinrichsen, Jodeh, Kipp, Kirkmeyer, Kolker, Lindstedt, Liston, Marchman, Mullica, Pelton B., PeltonR., Rich, Roberts, Rodriguez, Snyder, Sullivan, Wallace, Weissman, Zamora Wilson; also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Stewart K., Bacon, Boesenecker, Brown, Caldwell, Camacho, Carter, Clifford, Duran, English, Espenoza, Froelich, Garcia, Garcia Sander, Gilchrist, Goldstein, Gonzalez R., Hamrick, Hartsook, Jackson, Johnson, Joseph, Keltie, Lieder, Lindsay, Lukens, Marshall, Martinez, Mauro, McCluskie, McCormick, Nguyen, Paschal, Phillips, Richardson, Rutinel, Rydin, Sirota, Smith, Stewart R., Story, Taggart, Titone, Velasco, Willford, Winter T., Woodrow, Woog, Zokaie.

CONCERNING THE RECOGNITION OF YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH ACTION DAY.

WHEREAS, The youth of Colorado are calling upon Colorado's elected officials to prioritize policies that support youth mental health and well-being; and WHEREAS, Colorado is facing a youth mental health crisis, which has long-term ripple effects on our state's education, public safety, carceral, and economic systems; and WHEREAS, Colorado ranks 41 st in the nation for youth mental health per the nonprofit Mental Health America; and WHEREAS, Pediatric professionals who support youth found in the 2023 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey that about 1 in 4 Colorado high school students reported feeling consistently sad or hopeless; and

WHEREAS, Despite the department of public health and environment's office of suicide prevention finding decreases in Colorado youth ·seriously considering suicide and planning suicide attempts in recent years, our state still sees disproportionately higher rates of suicide compared to the rest of the country, with suicide being a leading cause of death among Colorado children under 18; and WHEREAS, Data from the National Library of Medicine shows that between 10% and 16% of young children (ages 2 to 8) have a diagnosed mental, behavioral, or developmental disorder; and WHEREAS, More than 1 in 5 middle school students reported poor mental health in the 2023 Healthy Kids Colorado Survey; and WHEREAS, Children and youth face stigmas related to mental health needs that may prevent them from seeking the support and services they need;and WHEREAS, Research from the Colorado School of Public Health . found that early identification and treatment of mental health needs improve outcomes for children and families and reduces long-term societal costs; and WHEREAS, The State Health Professional Shortage Areas map shows that continued focus is critical to fully integrate primary and mental health care, as many communities still lack sufficient services to ensure that children and youth receive the right care at the right time; and WHEREAS, Sustained initiatives are needed to expand the continuum of care from early preventive support to high-acuity care for Colorado children and youth with complex mental health needs; and WHEREAS, Pediatric health-care providers play a vital role m identifying, supporting, and treating the mental health needs of children

and youth across Colorado; now, therefore, Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Seventy-fifth General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House ofRepresentatives concurring herein:

( 1) That the General Assembly commits to promoting child and youth well-being in Colorado through cost-effective investments that maintain a functional mental health system capable of addressing the unique needs of children; (2) That the General Assembly supports continued efforts to strengthen coordination, efficiency, and accessibility within the children's mental health system; (3) That the General Assembly continues to partner with mental health providers and professionals, state agencies, local partners, community organizations, and Colorado children, youth, and families to prioritize the mental health needs in our state; and (4) The General Assembly recognizes February 26, 2026, as Youth Mental Health Action Day, where we honor the tireless efforts of

pediatric health-care providers and commit to collaboratively supporting Colorado kids' mental health and well-being.

James Rashad Coleman Sr. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE

Julie McCluskie SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Esther van Mourik SECRETARY OF THE SENATE

Vanessa Reilly CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES