Senate Concurrent Resolution 618

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING SEPTEMBER 2018 AS "PAIN AWARENESS MONTH IN MISSISSIPPI" TO BRING AWARENESS FOR PEOPLE IN PAIN.

WHEREAS, over 100 million adults suffer from chronic pain, including millions with debilitating conditions like chronic lower back pain, fibromyalgia and arthritis; and

WHEREAS, chronic pain costs America up to $635 Billion a year in added health costs and lost productivity, including billions of dollars in state Medicaid costs; and

WHEREAS, chronic pain is a major public health problem and hidden driver of rising health care costs; and

WHEREAS, significant barriers to adequate pain care exist and millions of Americans get inadequate pain care; and

WHEREAS, these findings were made by the prestigious Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academy of Sciences in its landmark report issued in 2011, Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education, and Research; and

WHEREAS, the IOM report includes a number of recommendations to improve pain care, education and research; and

WHEREAS, the IOM report found that significant savings could be achieved through better treatment of acute pain, reduction in workers' compensation costs and lost tax revenues, and a reduced burden of opioid abuse and misuse:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That the Legislature declares that chronic pain is a serious health problem and the appropriate agencies of state government should examine how the state can improve the health and productivity of its citizens and reduce personal and government health expenditures by implementing the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine report.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That we do hereby recognize September 2018 as "Pain Awareness Month in Mississippi," and encourage all citizens of Mississippi to become more informed and aware of the impacts of chronic pain, and to support organizations in search for adequate pain care for Mississippians.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be transmitted to the State Board of Health for proper distribution and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.