RESOLUTION
BY COUNCIL PRESIDENT COLLINS-BELLAMY, MAJORITY LEADER RUBBO, MAJORITY WHIP ROBINSON, MINORITY LEADER BREEN, COUNCILMEMBERS, PINEDA-ISAAC, DIAZ AND MERANTE:
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RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF YONKERS DECLARING THE MONTH OF MAY 2025 “MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH.”
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WHEREAS, the mental health and well being of people in the City of Yonkers is a vital issue that affects not only the quality of life, but also the health of communities, families, and economic stability; and
WHEREAS, approximately one in five adults in the nation (52.9 million persons in 2020), experience a diagnosable mental health condition such as depression, anxiety bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or post-traumatic stress disorder, in a given year; and
WHEREAS, for approximately one in 25 adults in the nation, a serious mental illness dramatically affects the person’s ability to perform major life activities; and
WHEREAS, persons with serious mental illness face an increased risk of having chronic medical conditions and, on average, die 25 years earlier than others due largely to treatable medical conditions; and
WHEREAS, an estimated 26% of homeless adults in the nation who stay in shelters live with serious mental illness, and a little more than 50% of adults who experience a substance use disorder also have a concurring mental illness; and
WHEREAS, approximately one in five youths 13 to 18 years of age, experience a severe mental disorder at some point in their life and, for children eight to fifteen years of age, the estimate is that 13 % will experience a severe mental disorder, and
WHEREAS, the prevalence of serious mental illness is reported to be higher among woman than men; and
WHEREAS, mental illnesses, such as depression, are the third most common cause of hospitalization in the nation for persons 18 to 44 years of age; and
WHEREAS, despite the widespread existence of mental illness there is nonetheless a stigma attached to the illness; and
WHEREAS, treatment can be effective and recovery possible for mental illness, yet millions of Americans still do not receive the mental health care they need, with only 41% of adults in the nation with a mental health condition and just over half of children eight to fifteen years of age needed mental health `services; and
WHEREAS It is especially important to recognize the importance of mental health during these difficult times brought by COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn has negatively affected many people’s mental health and created new barriers for those already suffering with mental illness, mental health conditions, and those with other existing chronic diseases; and
WHEREAS, the month of May has been Mental Health Awareness Month in the nation since 1949 and raising awareness in the City of Yonkers will help remove the stigma, fear, and misunderstanding about mental illness and thereby encourage treatment by ensuring that those persons in the City of Yonkers who confront mental health issues know that they are not alone, that by seeking mental health treatment is not a sign of weakness but sign of strength, and that by seeking treatment they can recover and live long healthier lives; and
NOW IT BE RESOLVED, that this Legislative Body pause for its deliberations to commemorate and recognize May 2025 as “Mental Health Awareness Month” in the City of Yonkers.