HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-125RESOLUTION NO. 02-125
A RESOLUTION PROCLAIMING THE MONTH OF MAY,
2002, AS "MENTAL HEALTH MONTH", AND
CONGRATULATING THE NEW HORIZONS OF THE
TREASURE COAST ON MORE THAN FOUR DECADES OF
SERVICE TO THE TREASURE COAST AREA, AND
COMMENDING THEIR CONTINUED DEDICATION TO
INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES LIVING WITH MENTAL
ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS
WHEREAS, the Board of County Commissioners of St. Lucie County, Florida, has made
the following determinations:
1. Mental health is essential to everyone's overall health and well-being and one in five
American adults and children are affected by a mental illness.
2. Mental health problems do not discriminate. They know no race, creed, age limit or
economic status.
3. People with mental illness can recover and lead full productive lives.
4. Over 92,000 adults with serious and persistent mental illnesses and over 79,000 children
with serious emotional disturbances have no access to mental health treatment in Florida.
5. Untreated or under treated mental illness costs public and private employers billions of
dollars annually through absenteeism, turnover, low productivity and increased medical costs.
6. Nearly 25% of Florida's jail inmates have a serious mental illness and local jails have
become the largest public psychiatric hospitals, housing over 10,000 offenders with mental illnesses,
many of whom are low level offenders.
7. New Horizons of the Treasure Coast provides comprehensive mental health and substance
abuse services to over 5,000 St. Lucie County residents each year, regardless of their ability.
8. St. Lucie County has made a commitment to community-based systems of mental health
care in which all residents can receive high quality services.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of St.
Lucie County, Florida:
1. This Board does hereby proclaim the entire month of May, 2002, as "MENTAL
HEALTH MONTH", and all citizens, government agencies, public and private institutions,
businesses and schools recommit our community to increasing awareness and understanding of
mental illness and the need for appropriate and accessible services for all people with mental
disorders.
2. This Board congratulates New Horizons of the Treasure Coast on its more than four
decades of service to the Treasure Coast area and is further commended for its continued dedication
to individuals and families living with mental illness and substance abuse disorders.
PASSED AND DULY ADOPTED this 7th day of May, 2002.
ATTEST:
I~EPUTY CLERI~
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
ST. LUCIE COUNTY, FLORIDA
-- Q~tAIRMAN
APPROVE~ AS TO LEGAL FORM AND
CQRRECTNES~,,~