Conversations on Children's Health
Youth Mental Health:
Nurturing Resilience and Overcoming Obstacles to Care
It’s a national problem with serious repercussions, and the stakes have never been higher: Young people are battling mental health disorders at an unprecedented rate. At UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, our experts are tackling the crisis head on through innovative, big picture strategies.
Join us for this timely conversation about how health care providers, educators, caregivers, and parents can come together to make a transformative impact on teen mental health.
Tuesday, March 4, 2025 5:30 - 8:00PM |
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675 18th Street, San Francisco, CA |
Welcome
Matthew State, MD, PhD
Professor & Chair, Psychiatry
Dr. Matthew State is a psychiatrist specializing in child and adolescent psychiatry and human genetics. He is chair of the UCSF Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, president of UCSF Langley Porter Psychiatric Hospital and a member of the UCSF Weill Institute for Neurosciences. Over the past 15 years, Dr. State's laboratory has played a leading role in elucidating how rare and de novo genetic mutations can contribute to autism spectrum disorder and Tourette syndrome.
Moderator
Nicholas Holmes, MD, MBA
President, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals
Senior Vice President, Children's Services, UCSF Health
Dr. Nicholas Holmes is president of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals and senior vice president of children's services for UCSF Health. He oversees strategic direction and operations for all pediatric clinical services across the UCSF health system, including UCSF-owned and -operated sites and affiliated programs, facilities, and physicians.
Featured Speakers
Elissa Epel, PhD
Professor, Psychiatry
Dr. Elissa Epel leads research at UCSF's Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, where she directs the Aging, Metabolism, and Emotions Center. Her work explores how chronic stress affects our health, and she develops practical solutions to help people—especially those in vulnerable communities—better manage stress in their daily lives.
Sasha Gorrell, PhD
Assistant Professor, Psychiatry
Dr. Sasha Gorrell specializes in treating teenagers with eating disorders, working closely with families to support recovery. She studies how exercise patterns can become problematic for some individuals and investigates how anxiety and learning behaviors influence eating disorders. Her research aims to improve treatment approaches for young people.
Stephen Hinshaw, PhD
Professor, Psychiatry
Dr. Stephen Hinshaw serves as a leader in both UCSF's Psychiatry Department and UC Berkeley's Psychology Department. He's dedicated his career to understanding ADHD and related behaviors in young people. His research examines how family relationships, peer interactions, and brain development influence these conditions. He's also passionate about reducing the stigma around mental health challenges.
Jason Nagata, MD
Associate Professor, Pediatrics
Dr. Jason Nagata is an expert in adolescent health, with special focus on eating disorders in boys and men—an often-overlooked area. As a pediatrician and researcher, he studies how modern challenges like screen time and social media affect young people's well-being. His work also addresses important issues like food security, LGBTQ+ health, and substance use among youth.
Saun-Toy Trotter, MFT
Clinical Director, School-Based Behavioral Health
Saun-Toy Trotter brings behavioral health services directly to schools, making mental healthcare more accessible to students. As a psychotherapist and program director, she champions health equity and develops culturally sensitive approaches to healing, with particular attention to addressing the impacts of racial trauma.