Commissioner Diaz continues battle against veteran suicides

MIAMI – Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz is sponsoring a resolution urging the Florida Legislature to recognize the epidemic of suicide among veterans and urging Congress to fully fund suicide prevention efforts by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, including suicide prevention research and evidence-based clinical treatment approaches.

The resolution is scheduled for consideration at the Jan. 22 County Commission meeting, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Commission Chamber at the Stephen P. Clark Center, 111 NW 1st St.

According to a 2019 Veterans Administration report, more than 6,000 veterans committed suicide in 2017, which translates to approximately 17 veteran suicides a day. The high suicide rate among veterans is attributed to a high incidence of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and depression among combat veterans.

Commissioner Diaz, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, has been a strong advocate for veterans and has sponsored numerous pieces of legislation supporting veterans.