Bill 48 2010

An Act to proclaim Child and Youth Mental Health Day

Preamble

Thousands of children and teens in Ontario suffer needlessly every day. One in five children under the age of 19 suffers from a mental health condition.  Left undiagnosed, these conditions can cause stress and anguish to children and to their families, schools, peers and communities.

Mental health conditions are painful and very real.  Too often, they are not diagnosed. It is imperative that we, as a society, reach out to affected children. 

Each and every year, we should recognize and raise awareness about these issues in order to reduce the stigma associated with mental health conditions, and to provide encouragement to children and youth who live with mental health conditions.

The year 2010 marks a national effort to co-ordinate an awareness day across the country.  This awareness day, called Child and Youth Mental Health Day, is to occur each year during the first full week in May.

Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Child and Youth Mental Health Day

   1.  (1)  Friday, May 7, 2010 is proclaimed as Child and Youth Mental Health Day.

Same

   (2)  In each year after 2010, the Friday of the first full week of May is proclaimed as Child and Youth Mental Health Day.

Same

   (3)  For the purposes of subsection (2), the first full week of May is the week beginning on the first Sunday in May.

Commencement

   2.  This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

   3.  The short title of this Act is the Child and Youth Mental Health Awareness Act, 2010.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill proclaims Friday, May 7, 2010, and the Friday of the first full week of May in each subsequent year, as Child and Youth Mental Health Day.