In November of 2010, Palm Health Foundation convened a panel of local leaders who were concerned about the increasing prevalence of diabetes in Beach County and who had an interest in exploring local issues and related to the prevention and management of diabetes.
In March of 2012 Barbara Jacobowitz, Chair of the Florida Diabetes Alliance Council and a trustee of Palm Health Foundation, arranged for state officials who were instrumental in crafting the Florida Diabetes Health System Strategic Plan to provide an overview of how a local initiative could link to and support strategic plan.
Hence, the Diabetes Coalition of Palm Beach County was formed.
OUR MISSION
The Diabetes Coalition is a voluntary nonprofit alliance of over 50 health care organizations and community partners working together to prevent diabetes and improve the lives of people living with the disease, and those touched by it through awareness, education, advocacy, and access to care.
OUR VISION
Palm Beach County is a national model for controlling and preventing the incidence of diabetes.
501(c)(3)
On July 19, 2018, the Diabetes Coalition received formal designation as a nonprofit organization by the Internal Revenue Service.
CLIA WAIVED
The Diabetes Coalition received a Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA) Waiver establishing quality standards for laboratory testing to ensure accuracy and reliability.
OUR NEW HOME
In October 2020 the Diabetes Coalition moved into its new office in the Riviera Beach Port Center located at 2051 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Ste. 306, Riviera Beach, FL 33404
THE ALARMING IMPACT OF DIABETES
WHY WE DO IT – PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE
- The number of adults with diabetes has doubled in 20 years
- Diabetes and prediabetes disproportionately affect historically underserved communities and the most vulnerable among us
- 1 out of every 7 dollars spent on health care in the US is spent on diabetes and its complications
- Diabetes is the 7th-Leading Cause of Death in the US and Palm Beach County (2019), and the 5th-leading cause of death for seniors aged 65-74
- In 2019, the county experienced 353 deaths with diabetes as the primary diagnosis
- The COVID-19 crisis has created additional challenges for our target population, increasing the risk of severe illness for people affected by diabetes, as evidenced by the fact that 14% of people hospitalized with COVID-19 have been found to have newly diagnosed diabetes
SERIOUS COMPLICATIONS OF DIABETES
- Heart Disease – Stroke End-Stage Kidney Disease – Blindness – Amputation – Death
Sources: American Diabetes Association and Florida Department of Health Statistics & Data
Who We Serve |
How We Serve |
|---|---|
| Individuals impacted by diabetes (type 1, type 2, gestational diabetes, etc.) and their families | We believe it’s important to go where people already are, in their own communities |
| Those at risk for developing diabetes | Outreach, screening, and educational services extend across Palm Beach County, from Jupiter to Boca Raton, and out to the Glades |
| Targeted prevention/ management strategies and education throughout Palm Beach County | Focusing on vulnerable residents and underserved communities |