04/11/2024 03:30 PM Senate HEALTH & SOCIAL SERVICES

            HCR 15-MENTAL HEALTH MONTH; TARDIVE DYSK WEEK                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
  3:36:36 PM                                                                                                                  
  CHAIR  WILSON announced  the  consideration of  HOUSE  CONCURRENT                                                             
  RESOLUTION  NO.  15   Designating  May  2024  as   Mental  Health                                                             
  Awareness Month;  and designating May  5 -  11, 2024, as  Tardive                                                             
  Dyskinesia Awareness Week.                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
  3:37:03 PM                                                                                                                  
  MAGY  ELLIOT,  Staff,  Representative  Mike  Prax,  Alaska  State                                                             
  Legislature, Juneau, Alaska,  Introduced HCR 15 on behalf  of the                                                             
  sponsor:                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
  [Original punctuation provided.]                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
                               HCR 15                                                                                         
                          Sponsor Statement                                                                                   
        "Designating May 2024 as Mental Health Awareness                                                                        
       Month; and designating May 5-11, 2024, as Tardive                                                                        
                  Dyskinesia Awareness Week."                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
     In  Alaska, as  across the  nation, mental  illness and                                                                    
     its  negative impacts  stretch far  and wide,  touching                                                                    
     families  in every  community and  across all  walks of                                                                    
     life.  HCR  15 shines  a  light  on the  importance  of                                                                    
     mental health  awareness and the challenges  of Tardive                                                                    
     Dyskinesia.                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
     It is estimated  that over 108,000 adults  in the state                                                                    
     have   mental   health   conditions   such   as   major                                                                    
     depression, bipolar disorder,  schizophrenia, and other                                                                    
     debilitating  behavioral health  conditions. The  onset                                                                    
     of  mental health  disorders  peaks during  adolescence                                                                    
     and  early adulthood,  marking  a  critical period  for                                                                    
     intervention  and support.  Yet  many  Alaskans do  not                                                                    
     receive the  treatment they  need due  to a  variety of                                                                    
     barriers, including cost and access to professionals.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     Complicating  the   landscape  is  the   prevalence  of                                                                    
     Tardive Dyskinesia  (TD), a movement  disorder. induced                                                                    
     by  long-term  use  of  antipsychotic  medications.  TD                                                                    
     affects 10  to 30  percent of Individuals  taking these                                                                    
     medications can  significantly impact their  quality of                                                                    
     life.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
     HCR  15  will  designate  May  2024  as  Mental  Health                                                                    
     Awareness  Month and  May  5-11  as Tardive  Dyskinesia                                                                    
     Awareness  Week.  By  doing   this,  we  support  those                                                                    
     battling   mental  health   conditions,  advocate   for                                                                    
     comprehensive  care  and   challenge  the  stigma  that                                                                    
     discourages seeking help.                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
     Let  us  make  mental  health  a  priority  in  Alaska,                                                                    
     ensuring   that    our   policies,    resources,   [and                                                                    
     communities  are aligned  and  support  those who  face                                                                    
     these challenges everyday.]                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
3:38:52 PM                                                                                                                    
CHAIR TOBIN asked if HCR 15 would make every May 5th - 11th                                                                     
Tardive Dyskinesia Awareness week.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
MS. ELLIOTT replied that the awareness week was just for this                                                                   
May. The hope is to present the resolution before the                                                                           
  legislature  every  session  to bring  more  awareness  to  metal                                                             
  health.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
  3:39:27 PM                                                                                                                  
  CHAIR WILSON opened public testimony on HCR  15; finding none, he                                                             
  closed public testimony.                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
  3:39:56 PM                                                                                                                  
  MS. ELLIOTT thanked the committee for hearing HCR 15.                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
  3:40:02 PM                                                                                                                  
  CHAIR WILSON held HCR 15 in committee.