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9 LONG TITLE
10 General Description:
11 This concurrent resolution of the Legislature and the Governor declares mental health
12 issues to be a public health crisis at Utah higher education institutions and strongly
13 urges Utah's government and community groups to seek productive, long-term solutions
14 to address the crisis.
15 Highlighted Provisions:
16 This resolution:
17 ▸ declares mental health issues to be a public health crisis at Utah higher education
18 institutions;
19 ▸ recognizes Utah's high rate of suicide and attempted suicide due to mental health
20 issues; and
21 ▸ strongly urges state agencies, local health authorities, non-profit groups, and higher
22 education entities to seek productive, long-term solutions to address this crisis.
23 Special Clauses:
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26 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah, the Governor concurring therein:
27 WHEREAS, mental health issues at Utah higher education institutions constitute a
28 public health crisis;
29 WHEREAS, Utah ranks in the top 10 for most suicides in the nation;
30 WHEREAS, Utah ranks fifth in the nation for most youth suicides;
31 WHEREAS, over 100 students enrolled in Utah higher education institutions attempted
32 suicide during the 2015 academic year;
33 WHEREAS, 15 of those higher education students who attempted suicide were
34 tragically successful;
35 WHEREAS, many students who need mental health services are unable to access
36 treatment from university-sponsored mental health services due to wait lists that can be as long
37 as four to six weeks;
38 WHEREAS, the International Association of Counseling Services' (IACS) national
39 recommendation is one full-time counselor per 1,000-1,500 students at institutions of higher
40 education;
41 WHEREAS, Utah State University, the University of Utah, Utah Valley University,
42 Weber State University, and Dixie State University do not meet IACS national
43 recommendations;
44 WHEREAS, communities where state-run universities, colleges, and technical colleges
45 are located may have mental health treatment and crisis intervention resources that are not
46 readily available to students on campuses; and
47 WHEREAS, partnerships and collaboration between university-sponsored mental
48 health services and community mental health treatment and crisis intervention resources may
49 result in improved access to crisis and treatment interventions for students on campuses as well
50 as the general public and result in a decrease in suicide attempts and improved mental health
51 outcomes on campuses and in the community:
52 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah, the
53 Governor concurring therein, declares mental health issues to be a public health crisis at Utah
54 higher education institutions and strongly urges the Department of Health, Department of
55 Human Services, Department of Public Safety, local health departments, local mental health
56 authorities and providers, the Utah chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Utah
57 chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Utah Board of Regents, and
58 public institutions of higher education, including universities, colleges, and technical colleges
59 to:
60 (1) form local coalitions and work collaboratively on a local, community, and
61 statewide basis to identify, promote, and share available higher education mental health
62 services and local community mental health resources, including crisis prevention and
63 interventions; and
64 (2) identify successes from collaborative efforts as well as ongoing deficiencies in
65 mental health treatment and crisis prevention and interventions at institutions of higher
66 education that cannot be adequately addressed through appropriate partnerships and sharing of
67 community and higher education mental health resources.
68 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature and the Governor urge the student
69 body leadership of the state's public institutions of higher education, including universities,
70 colleges, and technical colleges, to lead the effort to provide a report, including specific
71 findings of collaborative successes and ongoing mental health services deficiencies, and make
72 recommendations for possible solutions to the Health and Human Services Interim Committee,
73 the Higher Education Appropriations Subcommittee, and the Social Services Appropriations
74 Subcommittee by October 31, 2017.
75 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to Utah's
76 Department of Health, Department of Human Services, and Department of Public Safety; all
77 county and local mental health authorities; the Utah National Alliance on Mental Illness; the
78 Utah Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention; the Utah Board of Regents;
79 and each of the presidents of Utah's eight public higher education institutions.