Mark Ragins grew up in Southern California. He graduated from the California Institute of Technology and received his MD from Washington University in St. Louis. After completing his residency in psychiatry at LA County-USC Hospital, he worked for several years in LAC-DMH public mental health clinics and at UCLA-Harbor General Hospital. In 1990, he became […]
Roberto Quiroz was Director of the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health 1984-91. He earned his MSW from Columbia University and worked in New York in family therapy and at the NASW headquarters. In 1972, he was appointed assistant director of a new community mental health center in Pueblo, Colorado, and subsequently served as […]
Ron Schraiber is a longtime consumer activist leader in California. He had his initial encounter with the mental health system as a graduate student at UC Irvine, followed by experiences in several different cities. He began reading Thomas Szasz’ work, which appealed to him, and founded a client group which he named CAPABLE – Citizens […]
The Rev. Richard Van Horn was Chief Executive Officer of Mental Health America in Los Angeles from 1980 through 2009. (From 1980 through 2006, the organization name was the Mental Health Association). He graduated from Harvard in 1961 and earned a Master in Divinity from the General Theological Seminary of New York in 1965. Ordained […]
Dion Tillman is a certified substance abuse counselor at LACDMH Palmdale Mental Health Center. Transcript
Sandra Thomas earned her Masters in Social Work from UCLA in 1977 and began her professional career at MacLaren Children’s Center in 1978, where she set up the first play therapy program. Her interest and focus on children and families continued through increasingly responsibsle positions Compton Mental Health Center in South LA, as Child Abuse […]
Harry Taylor, PhD, is the Clinical Program Head at Palmdale Mental Health Center in the Antelope Valley. Transcript
Brook Sylvann, a theater, film and television actor and comedy host, leads the Improv Comedy Group at Edelman Mental Health Center. Transcript
Darrell Steinberg has been the President pro Tempore of the California State Senate since 2008. Steinberg worked as an employee rights attorney for the California State Employees Association, an Administrative Law Judget, and a mediator before beginning his career in public service by serving on the Sacramento City Council from 1992 to 1998. Steinberg served […]
Marvin Southard earned his MSW at UC Berkeley and his DSW at UCLA. He served as Director of Clinical Services at El Centro Human Services Corporation in East LA for seven years and as Director of Mental Health in Kern County for five years, prior to being appointed Director of the Los Angeles County Department […]