House Democrats are warning that the impending climate crisis they have been predicting for years means more than rising tides, devastating storms and economic upheaval – it also means a growing mental health crisis for young Americans as they learn about and prepare to face these challenges.
Rep. Mike Thompson, D-Calif., introduced a resolution that calls on Congress to take aggressive steps to "protect the mental health and well-being of current and future youth" in light of the likely climate disaster that he and other Democrats believe will occur in their lifetimes.
"Youth represent a particularly vulnerable group because greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere will impact today’s and tomorrow’s youth throughout their biological, psychological, academic, and social development," the resolution states. "Youth are especially vulnerable to the physical and mental health impacts of climate-related disasters and the cumulative toll youth will endure from additional exposure to increasing climate-related disasters."
Thompson’s bill notes that a study from the American Public Health Association and ecoAmerica shows that nearly half of America’s youth has "developed depression after a climate-related disaster." Based on the expectation that these disasters will increase in number, Thompson says Congress must act to bolster the mental health of young Americans.
His resolution calls for additional funding for climate education, "resilience" and other projects that "benefit the mental health and well-being" of young Americans. That includes the addition of "trauma-informed approaches to mental health" into disaster preparation efforts.
