BURBANK — According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 162 Illinois veterans died by suicide in 2022. As the newly appointed chair of the Breakthrough Therapies for Veteran Suicide Prevention Advisory Council, State Senator Mike Porfirio is committed to leading the charge to lower this number.

“Suicide among veterans is a national emergency, and I am committed to advancing efforts toward breakthrough therapies,” said Porfirio (D-Lyons Township). “As a fellow veteran, I am honored to be appointed as a representative of the community and am eager to get started on the work to identify innovative therapies to address the veteran suicide crisis.”

The council, established in 2023, will advise the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services on guidelines and infrastructure to support innovative therapies for veteran suicide prevention. This includes strategies to provide veterans with affordable, safe and accessible care. Meetings for the Breakthrough Therapies for Veteran Suicide Prevention Advisory Council will take place quarterly in calendar year 2025 and are open to the public.

Porfirio will chair the council’s next scheduled meeting at 1 p.m. on May 30.