| Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez reflects on Mental Health awareness month IV Press Jessamyn Dodd April 22, 2025 As Mental Health Awareness Month begins, Jeff Gonzalez, Assemblyman for California’s 36th District and U.S. veteran, is urging the community to take mental health seriously–not only for the sake of veterans, but for every resident struggling in silence… “As a veteran or active-duty member that’s been to combat, you know we’ve seen a lot of pain out there in the world, a lot of bad things… and honestly, me being one of those as well. Post-traumatic stress is a real thing, and reducing the stigma is important because it saves lives.” The emotional weight of war doesn’t end when service members return home. For this veteran, the issue is deeply personal. “I lost 10 Marines to suicide, so that impacts me directly,” he said. “As someone who struggled with post-traumatic stress, as a leader to come out and say it’s okay, it’s okay to get help, it’s okay to talk about these things because we want you healthy and we want you alive–and that’s why it’s so important for me…” “My message to any leader is we don’t want to cut anything that might impact the health and wellness of anyone, let alone our service members,” he said. “Seek help. I initially sought help at church. Talk to your veteran service officer. That person can connect you either with a non-profit organization that can help or with mental health services…” “The challenge that we have here in California is fiscal prioritization,” he said. “Our residents of California cannot afford to have California leadership continue to manage our funds in the way that we’re doing it… because, unfortunately, programs will now have to be cut because of fiscal mismanagement…” To read the full story, click HERE. |
