California’s Mental Health Commission Welcomes New Commissioner

SACRAMENTO - The Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission is pleased to welcome Gary Tsai, M.D. as its newest Commissioner after Governor Newsom appointed him to represent a physician specializing in substance use disorder treatment on August 30, 2024.

"As the Commission increases our focus on substance use disorder, we look forward to leveraging the valuable insight Commissioner Tsai has cultivated from his role with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health," said Mara Madrigal-Weiss, Commission Chair and Executive Director of Student Wellness and School Culture, Student Services and Programs Division, San Diego County Office of Education. "The Commission's work in streamlining services for substance use disorders is an important part of California's behavioral health reform."

Dr. Tsai is the Director of the Substance Abuse Prevention and Control, a bureau of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. In this role, he oversees a full spectrum of substance use prevention, harm reduction, and treatment services for the residents of Los Angeles County. Dr. Tsai is physician board-certified in both general psychiatry and addiction medicine. In addition to his new role as a Commissioner, he serves on the Board of Directors of NAMI California, and the California Health and Human Services Agency's Behavioral Health Task Force. Dr. Tsai completed his medical training at the University of California, Davis School of Medicine and his residency training at the San Mateo County Psychiatry Residency Training Program.

About the Commission
In enacting Proposition 63, the Mental Health Services Act, California voters in 2004 created and charged the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission with the responsibility of driving transformational change in public and private mental health systems to achieve the vision that everyone who needs mental health care has access to and receives effective and culturally competent care. The Commission was design to empower stakeholders, with members representing consumers and their families, service providers, law enforcement, educators, and employers. The Commission put consumers and families at the center of decision-making. The Commission promotes community collaboration, cultural competency and integrated service delivery. The Commission is committed to wellness and recovery, using its authorities, resources, and passion to reduce the negative outcomes of mental illness and promote the mental health and wellbeing of all Californians.