As an organization that touches every part of the San Francisco and the greater Bay Area, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is committed to providing meaningful acts of of public service that positively impact the health and well-being of the communities we serve. Through public education, advocacy efforts, and volunteerism, our department members leverage their expertise, experience, and passion for helping others to improve the long-term health and social welfare of all.
To further our public service mission, the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is actively working to expand our local community engagement efforts, particularly around the issues listed below. The response and outreach from faculty, staff, clinicians, volunteer teachers, fellows and residents interested in furthering these efforts is inspiring. We are committed to facilitating volunteer opportunities both to meet the needs expressed by our community partners serving vulnerable populations and to train the next generation of providers.
If you are a Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences faculty member, staff member, or trainee who would like to volunteer, know of opportunities/resources that might be of interest, or wish to provide feedback on these efforts, please contact department Chief of Staff Adri Jayaratne or Vice Chair for Community Engagement, Outreach, and Advocacy Marina Tolou-Shams, PhD.
Areas of focus
- Climate change and mental health
- Diversity and health equity
- Health and human rights
- Housing instability and mental health - information coming soon
