WHEREAS, Data from the Philadelphia Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services policy brief, Beyond the Buzzwords, published November 2025, indicates that nearly 78% of youth in Philadelphia who require mental health treatment do not receive the necessary care; and
WHEREAS, Recent research from Penn Medicine highlights that 97% of pediatric firearm injuries in Philadelphia occur among Black and Hispanic youth and a 2026 study published in PubMed Central reports a 36.6% increase in suicide rates and suicidal ideation among black emerging adults, creating a direct and urgent correlation between community violence and the need for specialized trauma-informed behavioral health support; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Youth Commission advocates for a "No Wrong Door" policy, where every City-funded youth program is equipped with basic mental health first-aid training and clear referral pathways to professional care; and
WHEREAS, The Philadelphia Youth Commission seeks to shift the City's approach from passive awareness to active "Youth-Led Wellness," ensuring that young people are the primary architects of the mental health systems designed to serve them; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Hereby recognizes and designates the month of May as Youth Mental Health Awareness Month in the City of Philadelphia.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to the Philadelphia Youth Commission as evidence of the sincere admiration and respect of this legislative body.
End