With a career rooted in fire rescue and emergency management, Russell Beaty has spent decades serving vulnerable populations. That experience—combined with church and community volunteering—sparked a lasting passion for accessible community mental health services and family support.

Through his work with the Walton County Sheriff’s Office, Russell was assigned to serve on the board of directors for COPE Center, later known as Chautauqua Healthcare Services before becoming part of Lakeview Center.

It didn’t take long before the mission resonated.

“Once you work in this field,” he said, “you see the impact that mental health has on a person, on a family and on the community.”

From Escambia to Walton County, Lakeview Center offers 60+ programs ranging from outpatient counseling and psychiatry to 24/7 residential treatments and mental health crisis support.

Lakeview Center provides mental health and addiction treatment services for adults, children and families across Northwest Florida.

To Russell, this mission strikes at the heart of community well-being.

“Families are the foundational unit of society,” he said. “When dysfunction enters that unit, the problems can pass from generation to generation if we don’t intervene and break the cycle.”