Mental Health
Mental health and psychosocial wellbeing are critical foundations for overall health. The United Nations included mental health as integral to the global 2015 Sustainable Development Goals, but achieving these goals in the next generation remains a challenge given that the World Health Organization estimates that 20% of the worldโs children and adolescents have a mental health condition. Moreover, while the most common conditions of depression and anxiety may cost over $1 trillion worldwide, less than 2% of governmental health expenditures are devoted to mental health care.
UCSC faculty are researching the significance of access to food, housing, medical care, and citizenship for mental health, as well as one of the secondary ill-health effects of COVID. They are forging new research pathways with students in community-based projects that address precarity, build resilient networks and inform responsible policy to address mental health as it relates to the health of women & children, migrants, indigenous communities, and planetary health more widely.
Nancy N Chen
- Title
- Professor
- Department
- Anthropology Department
- Campus Email
Audrie Lin
- Pronouns
- she, her, her, hers, herself
- Title
- Assistant Professor
- Department
- Microbiology & Environmental Toxicology Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Health and Wellness
Rebecca A London
- Pronouns
- she, her, her, hers, herself
- Title
- Professor of Sociology and Faculty Director Campus + Community
- Department
- Sociology Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Schools and Academic Achievement
Christie G Mccullen
- Pronouns
- she, her, her, hers, herself
- Title
- Lecturer
- Department
- Sociology Department
- Campus Email
Juan Pedroza
- Title
- Associate Professor and Sociology Graduate Education Chair
- Department
- Sociology Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Sociology
Mohammed Andres Mostajo Radji
- Pronouns
- he, him, his, his, himself
- Title
- Assistant Research Scientist
- Department
- Genomics Institute
- Campus Email

Sofie Reda Salama
- Pronouns
- she, her, her, hers, herself
- Title
- Acting Professor of Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology
- Department
- Molecular, Cell, & Developmental Biology Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Biomedical Sciences
Magy Seif El-Nasr
- Pronouns
- she, her, her, hers, herself
- Title
- Professor and Department Chair
- Department
- Computational Media
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Human Computer Interaction
Nirvikar Singh
- Title
- Distinguished Professor
- Department
- Economics Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Economics
Donald R Smith
- Pronouns
- he, him, his, his, himself
- Title
- Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral Affairs, Distinguished Professor
- Department
- Microbiology & Environmental Toxicology Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Biomedical Sciences
Jennifer Taylor
- Title
- Professor of Social Documentation
- Department
- Film and Digital Media Department
- Campus Email
Anjuli Verma
- Title
- Assistant Professor of Politics
- Department
- Politics Department
- Campus Email
- Faculty Areas of Expertise
- Law and Policy