[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 759 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 759
Expressing support for the recognition of September 2025 as ``National
Children?s Emotional Wellness Month'' and for increased public
awareness regarding children?s emotional health and wellness.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 23, 2025
Mrs. Kim (for herself, Mrs. Watson Coleman, and Mr. Correa) submitted
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Energy
and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for the recognition of September 2025 as ``National
Children?s Emotional Wellness Month'' and for increased public
awareness regarding children?s emotional health and wellness.
Whereas National Children's Emotional Wellness Month brings attention to
childhood and adolescence as key stages for good emotional and mental
health development;
Whereas, during the month of September, people and organizations come together
to recognize the importance of children's emotional well-being to thrive
in the home, classroom, and society;
Whereas emotional wellness is the ability to manage and express emotions
effectively during stressful situations and adapt to changing and
difficult circumstances;
Whereas emotional wellness impacts every step of a child's development and is
closely linked with mental, physical, and behavioral health;
Whereas 140,000 children experienced a death of a caregiver during the COVID-19
pandemic, severely impacting their emotional well-being, according to
the American Academy of Pediatrics, and many children also faced
academic disruption and social isolation, had a parent lose their job,
or suffered physical or emotional abuse at home;
Whereas, from March to October 2020, mental health emergency visits rose by 24
percent among children ages 5 to 11 and 31 percent among children ages
12 to 17;
Whereas children who use social media for more than 3 hours a day face double
the risk of depression and anxiety, according to the Department of
Health and Human Services;
Whereas, according to the National Institutes of Health, 53 percent of youth own
a smartphone by age 11 and more than 95 percent of adolescents between
the ages of 13 and 17 have access to a cell phone, and youth who receive
a smartphone before age 13 face an elevated risk of adverse mental
health outcomes stemming from factors such as exposure to social media,
disrupted sleep, cyberbullying, and weakened family relationships;
Whereas 1 in 5 children in the United States, ranging from ages 3 through 17,
suffers from an emotional, mental, or behavioral disorder, according to
a 2022 National Institutes of Health National Library of Medicine
report;
Whereas the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that only 20
percent of children with an emotional, mental, or behavioral disorder
receive specialized care and the treatment that they need;
Whereas the second-leading cause of death among United States children and young
adults is suicide, and approximately 2,000,000 children attempt suicide
annually;
Whereas a child's mental health is directly impacted by parental mental health,
and parents who experience perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are more
likely to have children who experience emotional problems at 2 years
postpartum;
Whereas the children's mental health workforce is vital to the emotional well-
being of millions of adolescents, and it would be appropriate to
celebrate the pediatricians, therapists, and mental health care
providers for their invaluable service;
Whereas local nonprofit organizations such as the Extraordinary Lives Foundation
offer a unique approach to awareness, prevention, and early intervention
and support the mental and emotional health needs of children through
classroom toolkits, therapeutic resources, and educational opportunities
for families; and
Whereas spreading awareness during the month of September is crucial to increase
access to social-emotional and mental health support and reduce barriers
to access, including complicated and burdensome systems, limited supply
of qualified mental health providers, and stigma that prevents families
from seeking services: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) expresses support for the recognition of ``National
Children's Emotional Wellness Month'' and encourages increased
public awareness and support for children's emotional health
and wellness;
(2) expresses concern regarding rising rates of suicide,
depression, and anxiety among American children;
(3) thanks America's pediatric and mental health workforce
and nonprofit organizations for improving children's emotional
well-being and providing services to address the needs of
children and their families; and
(4) supports maternal and paternal mental health care as an
effective means of promoting a child's emotional and mental
health.
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