About West Palm Beach Mental Health Coalition

The meaning of mental health and mental illness are negatively judged, often misunderstood, and thus limit a families’ ability to seek an understanding between the two because it was shameful. The element of disgrace limits positive interaction within the extended family unit and perpetuates unwholesome family environments. The “Mental Health Festival” offers family and friends an opportunity to earn about behavioral health in a relaxed, non-threatening atmosphere. The availability of mental health resources lets everyone get up close and personal, thus allaying any fear of mental wellness resources.

According to West Palm Beach’s Racial and Ethnic Task Force (February 23, 2012), community mistrust of public health officials is one of the biggest challenges the health community must overcome. In addition, the task force found implicit bias among health care workers in the positive treatment of white patients as opposed to the treatment of non-white patients. The W.H.O. (Global Perspective on Epidemiology, 2008) stated although mental health treatment has come a long way, there are still great inequities among minority populations. These observations and concerns have been echoed with my interactions among and between community members, faith-based organizations, and some local mental health providers.

The Coalition recognizes the clergy as a resource that maintains an impressionable degree of influence over congregants to consider mental wellness resources. Since the existence of covid-19, the clergy’s counseling must be expanded from bereavement counseling to encouraging congregants to consider mental wellness resources. The Faith Leader will best do this by partnering with mental health professionals who can provide guidance.