The Power of Every Step: Supporting the Heart, Healing the Mind

With every step this November, the Health Care District of Palm Beach County team showed what it means to care for the whole person — heart, mind, and body — by walking in support of mental health and heart health.

On Saturday, November 1, more than 175 Health Care District team members, family, and friends participated in NAMIWalks Palm Beach County at John Prince Park in Lake Worth. The District proudly earned the title of top fundraising team for 2025.

Just one week later, on November 8, over 250 team members, family, and friends joined thousands of participants in downtown West Palm Beach for the American Heart Association’s annual Heart Walk as the fifth top fundraiser.

“These events reflect who we are as an organization — people who care deeply about the health of our community and about each other,” said Darcy J. Davis, President and CEO of the Health Care District of Palm Beach County. “By walking together, we’re raising awareness, reducing stigma, and supporting access to care for those affected by mental health conditions, heart disease, and stroke. It’s one more way we put our mission into motion.”  

Building on our dedication to heart health, the District’s Federally Qualified Health Centers recently earned Gold Achievement Awards from the American Heart Association’s outpatient recognition program. The awards honor excellence in following evidence-based guidelines that help patients manage high cholesterol, Type 2 diabetes, and blood pressure — key risk factors for heart disease and stroke.

“These American Heart Association awards are a reflection of our team’s deep commitment to preventive care,” said Belma Andrić, MD, MPH, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for the Health Care District of Palm Beach County. “Our board-certified providers and healthcare professionals work every day to help patients manage chronic conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol, improving outcomes and helping our community live longer, healthier lives.”

The Health Care District of Palm Beach County’s Federally Qualified Health Centers include nine brick-and-mortar locations across Palm Beach County and three mobile health clinics that provide adult and pediatric medical, dental and mental health care, substance use disorder treatment, women’s health and pharmacy services, regardless of insurance status.