By many accounts, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office is the county’s largest provider of mental health services. PEACE is determined to change that, and this month pushed five county officials to help them in their efforts.
Mental illness has become a nationally recognized crisis following the declaration of a “loneliness epidemic” by the U.S. Surgeon General in 2023. Around 1 in 5 American adults experiences mental illness every year, according to the National Alliance on Mental Health. In 2024, there were 244 deaths from suicide in Palm Beach County alone.
PEACE — People Engaged in Active Community Efforts — is a social justice ministry made up of members from 27 different religious congregations across Palm Beach County. Its members gather multiple times a year to assess pressing issues and publicly call on local leaders and representatives to support efforts and pieces of legislation…