Recognizing Debi Butler with Brain Health Now

Floor Speech

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Mr. FEENSTRA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Debi Butler with Brain Health Now. Debi is leading an effort to end the stigma surrounding mental illness by shifting the conversation to brain health.

As a parent and former educator, I know how important it is to pay close attention to brain health. Today, one in five Americans suffer from behavioral health conditions, such as depression and PTSD. The majority of these people will not seek treatment, partly due to the stigma that surrounds brain health. Tragically, this leads to suicides being up and the second leading cause of death amongst people aged 10 to 34.

Brain health should be treated the same way as physical health, and while I am glad to have seen many strides in this session, we have more work to do.

I am grateful for Debi, and I look forward to working together on this critical issue that we can all call things brain health.

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