Individual health and well-being are inseparable from individual mental and emotional outlook. Coping with daily life stressors is challenging for many people, especially when other social, familial, and economic challenges occur simultaneously.
Access to mental and behavioral health and substance-use services is an essential resource for a healthy community, and we are taking active steps through partnerships and investment for all communities in the region. Some examples:
Committed to supporting community mental health
On new approaches and treatments, including understanding and addressing social determinants of health
To address provider shortages & support cultural relevance in care
We provide a variety of mental and behavioral health services focused on vulnerable populations, in both community-based settings and through specialized programs at UC Davis Health.
For example, we’re proud to offer Sacramento’s first comprehensive trauma recovery center, helping survivors manage anxiety and depression through empowerment and the belief that things can – and will – get better.
And the nationally recognized, community-based Early Psychosis education and outreach program stresses early identification and intervention to reduce impacts on affected individuals, including Medi-Cal and uninsured patients.
Our new Advanced Psychiatric Therapeutics (APT) Clinic has launched to offer novel treatments for difficult-to-treat neuropsychiatric conditions, such as major depressive disorder. The clinic will also engage in clinical trials of new and improved treatment possibilities.
UC Davis Health conducts research on behavioral health services, interventions, and substance use treatment options, and also supports pilot programs that can be applied in community settings. Some examples:
UC Davis Health training programs support medical residents, fellows and advanced-practice providers to meet society’s vital need for culturally relevant mental health services. Some examples:
Some recent examples of our ongoing efforts to advance health for all.
Nhu Y “Thi” Doan — who recently completed her internal medicine residency — has received the 2026 Dr. Ifeanyi Onyeji Resident/Fellow Inclusive Excellence and Equity Award.
Emergency medicine physician Christine McBeth has received a Fulbright award to improve trauma care in The Gambia through training, research and emergency care system development.
The UC Davis-led AvenueM pathway delivers hands-on training and mentorship to guide community college students toward medical school and service in underserved regions.
The federal 340B program helps safety-net hospitals like UC Davis Medical Center cut medication costs and expand services for vulnerable patients and the community
