Gary Tsai, MD, FASAM, FAPA

Gary Tsai, M.D. is the Director, Medical Director and Science Officer for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Control, a division of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. In this role, he is responsible for leading a full spectrum of substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery support services for the 10 million residents of Los Angeles County. Dr. Tsai is board certified in both general adult psychiatry and addiction medicine and continues clinical practice at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.

Having experienced the stigma and criminalization that often accompanies serious mental illness as the son of a mother with schizophrenia, Dr. Tsai is a passionate advocate for improving our behavioral health systems. In his pursuit of meaningful change, he founded Forgotten Films, a film production company focusing on social issue projects, specializing in behavioral health. Its first film, Voices (www.VoicesDocumentary.com), premiered on public television in May 2015 for Mental Health Awareness Month and was awarded a 2016 SAMHSA Voice Award, Honorable Mention.