2
3
4
5
6
7
8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This joint resolution of the Legislature designates June 27, 2018, as Utah
11 Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day and June 2018 as Utah Post-Traumatic
12 Stress Injury Awareness Month.
13 Highlighted Provisions:
14 This resolution:
15 ▸ designates June 27, 2018, as Utah Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day;
16 ▸ designates June 2018 as Utah Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Month; and
17 ▸ urges the Department of Health, the Department of Public Safety, the Department of
18 Corrections, the State Fire Marshal, and the Department of Veterans and Military
19 Affairs to continue working to educate victims of interpersonal violence, combat,
20 and life-threatening accidents or natural disasters, their families, and the citizens of
21 Utah regarding the causes, symptoms, and treatment of post-traumatic stress injury.
22 Special Clauses:
23 None
24
25 Be it resolved by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
26 WHEREAS, all citizens of the United States possess the basic human right to preserve
27 personal dignity;
28 WHEREAS, all citizens of the United States deserve the investment of every possible
29 resource to ensure their lasting physical, mental, and emotional well-being;
30 WHEREAS, the diagnosis now known as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was
31 first defined by the American Psychiatric Association in 1980 to commonly and more
32 accurately understand and treat veterans who had endured severe operational combat stress;
33 WHEREAS, combat stress injury has historically been unjustly portrayed as a mental
34 illness in military combat veterans caused by a pre-existing flaw of character or ability;
35 WHEREAS, the word "disorder" carries a stigma that perpetuates this misconception;
36 WHEREAS, post-traumatic stress injury (PTSI) may occur following exposure to
37 extremely traumatic events including interpersonal violence, combat, life-threatening accidents,
38 or natural disasters;
39 WHEREAS, public service dispatchers and first responders, by the nature of their
40 professions, are also susceptible to post traumatic stress injury;
41 WHEREAS, PTSI is a very common injury to the brain that is treatable and repairable;
42 WHEREAS, referring to the complications from combat operational stress as a disorder
43 perpetuates the stigma of, and bias against, mental illness;
44 WHEREAS, this stigma can discourage the injured from seeking proper and timely
45 medical treatment;
46 WHEREAS, making PTSI less stigmatizing and more honorable can favorably
47 influence those affected and encourage them to seek treatment without fear of retribution or
48 shame;
49 WHEREAS, proper and timely treatment can diminish suicide rates among the injured;
50 WHEREAS, all citizens suffering from PTSI deserve our compassion and
51 consideration; and
52 WHEREAS, those brave men and women of the United States Armed Forces who have
53 received these wounds in action against an enemy of the United States further deserve our
54 special tribute and acknowledgment:
55 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah
56 designates June 27, 2018, as Utah Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Day.
57 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature of the state of Utah designates June
58 2018 as Utah Post-Traumatic Stress Injury Awareness Month.
59 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislature urges the Department of Health, the
60 Department of Public Safety, the Department of Corrections, the State Fire Marshal, and the
61 Department of Veterans and Military Affairs to continue working to educate victims of
62 interpersonal violence, combat, and life-threatening accidents or natural disasters, their
63 families, and the citizens of Utah regarding the causes, symptoms, and treatment of
64 post-traumatic stress injury.
65 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be sent to the Department
66 of Health, the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Corrections, the State Fire
67 Marshal, and the Department of Veterans and Military Affairs.