UCSF Trauma Recovery Center

09/08/2025

September is National Su***de Prevention and Awareness Month. Su***de is a major public health problem with far-reaching social, emotional and economic consequences. The UCSF Trauma Recovery Center joins voices with our partners, along with mental health advocates, prevention organizations, survivors, allies, and community members, to share that there is hope, help is available, and healing is possible. We thank our state and local funding partners, including CalVCB and the SF DA Victim Services Division, for supporting our crucial services to crime survivors to help them recover from trauma and restore their lives and wellbeing.
Resources:
https://afsp.org/national-suicide-prevention-month/
https://www.nami.org/get-involved/awareness-events/suicide-prevention-month/

National Su***de Prevention Week is a moment in time in which we rally the public to create awareness of this leading cause of death, and inspire more and more people to learn how they can play a role in their communities in helping to save lives.

08/14/2025

July is Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month

Bebe Moore Campbell was an American author, journalist, and teacher. Campbell's interest in mental health was the catalyst for her first children's book, Sometimes My Mommy Gets Angry, which won the NAMI Outstanding Literature Award for 2003. Campbell was a founding member of NAMI-Inglewood. Her book 72 Hour Hold also deals with mental illness. Her first play, Even with the Madness, revisited the theme of mental illness and the family.

Campbell understood that mental health isn’t just about individual healing — it’s about community transformation. She knew that when those who have been unseen and unheard share their truths, they create ripples of hope that reach far beyond themselves. Her vision was radical yet simple: creating spaces where cultural wisdom meets modern understanding, where lived experiences become guideposts for others walking similar paths.

In 2008, the U.S. House of Representatives designated July as Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in honor of the leading African American novelist and journalist. Bebe was a voice for individuals and families of color affected by mental Illness — and NAMI continues...

07/01/2025

What is a Trauma Recovery Center? The history of the first TRC began over 20 years ago, when Dr. Alicia Boccellari was struck by a comment about how violent crime victims needed more than just medical care. The realization that survivors needed mental health services to heal from their traumatic experiences led to the creation of our TRC.
Today, with the support and collaboration of many partners, including the state Victim Compensation Board and our local SF District Attorney office's Victim Services Division, UCSF TRC continues to provide vital services to crime victims in San Francisco. Today, we are part of a network of over 50 TRCs across the U.S. helping their communities heal from violence.
Watch this video to learn more about TRCs.

Trauma Recovery Centers (TRCs) are removing barriers to health and healing communities across the country. Find out more about how TRCs are changing the game...

06/05/2025

June is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops in response to a traumatic event. The body responds to trauma by releasing adrenaline, the stress hormone that triggers “fight or flight” mode. Adrenaline stimulates the amygdala, the part of the brain that plays a significant role in emotions, behavior, and fear processing. This system overreacts with out-of-proportion fear responses to ordinary situations. While the symptoms of traumatic stress and PTSD look similar immediately following the event, they progress differently. With PTSD, your mind stays in a state of psychological shock – instead of feeling a bit better each day, your symptoms stick with you and interfere with your normal functioning.

For most people, symptoms will start immediately following a traumatic event, but some may not develop systems until weeks, months, or even years after. It’s important to be aware of the signs so that if you find yourself struggling later, you can get help. Click the link for more info, including a PTSD screen, and protective factors and approaches that can help, including social supports, relaxation and grounding strategies, avoiding negative coping, and use of therapy.

Emotional and psychological trauma is an emotional response to a distressing event or situation that breaks your sense of security. Traumatic experiences often involve a direct threat to life or safety, but anything that leaves you feeling overwhelmed or isolated can result in trauma.

05/05/2025

May Is Mental Health Awareness Month
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, an annual observance founded by Mental Health America in 1949 to highlight the importance of mental wellbeing, educate the public, reduce stigma and promote support for those affected by mental health conditions. Each year, individuals and organizations come together to raise awareness and advocate for better mental health care and resources.
Mental health awareness plays a crucial role in reducing stigma, encouraging early intervention and fostering empathy and understanding. By normalizing conversations around mental health, it nurtures a more compassionate society where individuals feel empowered to seek help, leading to improved mental wellbeing. Key objectives of Mental Health Awareness Month include:

Educating the public about mental health conditions and their impact.
Reducing stigma by encouraging open conversations and fostering acceptance.
Highlighting the importance of early intervention and access to treatment.
Sharing available mental health resources, including support groups and crisis services.
Building solidarity and reducing isolation for those facing mental health challenges.
Advocating for improved mental health policies, increased funding and better access to care.
Promoting mental wellbeing and self-care practices for overall health.

We are proud to recognize Mental Health Awareness Month this May, bringing attention to mental health issues and helping reduce stigma.

04/14/2025

April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month

Watching two 20 minute videos this month could make a crucial difference in your ability to identify and help children whom you encounter in any setting. Learn the facts about child abuse, including signs of sexual abuse and grooming, and what to do, in these brief videos recently produced by National Children's Alliance (NCA) in collaboration with the Children's Advocacy Center (CAC).

This April, challenge yourself to learn the signs of child abuse and what to do to stop it.

https://www.nationalchildrensalliance.org/itsyourbusiness/

03/24/2025

March 30th is World Bipolar Day. The vision of World Bipolar Day (WBD) is to bring world awareness to bipolar conditions and to eliminate social stigma. Bipolar disorder is a mental illness that causes clear shifts in a person’s mood, energy, activity levels, and concentration. People with bipolar disorder often experience periods of extremely “up,” elated, irritable, or energized behavior (known as manic episodes) and very “down,” sad, indifferent, or hopeless periods (known as depressive episodes).

Resources:
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder
https://ibpf.org/about-bipolar-disorder/
https://www.worldbipolarday.org/

02/28/2025

February is National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month. Teen dating violence impacts everyone – not just teens – but also their parents, teachers, friends and communities.
Adolescents in abusive relationships often carry these unhealthy patterns of violence into future relationships. Indeed, children who are victimized or witness violence frequently bring this experience with them to the playground, the classroom, later into teen relationships and, ultimately, they can end up the victims and perpetrators of adult intimate partner violence.
Together, we can raise the nation’s awareness about teen dating violence and promote safe, healthy relationships.
Resources:
https://opdv.ny.gov/february-teen-dating-violence-awareness-month
https://www.nsvrc.org/blogs/teen-dating-violence-prevention-resources-2025-update

01/22/2025

January is Mental Wellness Month.

The World Health Organization defines mental wellness as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”

This doesn’t mean that you simply have an absence of mental health issues. It also doesn't mean that you’re just coping well with any disorders that you may have. Mental wellness refers to having positive characteristics that allow you to thrive, even during times of stress.

Resources:
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/caring-for-your-mental-health?fbclid=IwY2xjawH9FMxleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHT5K3WSC4U27RyE4DebD3wpjDhqsmr1BNCJHYSL-HmS27BW8nTMaTOEybA_aem_eiSqtKWInG1mECEqSw2ijw
https://mhanational.org/31-tips-boost-your-mental-health
https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/January-is-Mental-Wellness-Month-01242022.aspx

12/23/2024

December is Seasonal Affective Disorder Awareness Month. It is estimated that millions of Americans experience SAD, although many may not know they have this common disorder. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that's related to changes in seasons — seasonal affective disorder (SAD) begins and ends at about the same times every year. If you're like most people with SAD, your symptoms start in the fall and continue into the winter months, sapping your energy and making you feel moody.
Resources:
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/seasonal-affective-disorder
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/seasonal-affective-disorder/symptoms-causes/syc-20364651
https://www.nami.org/NAMI/media/NAMI-Media/Images/FactSheets/Major-Depressive-Disorder-with-a-Seasonal-Pattern_factsheet.pdf

11/28/2024

November is National Homelessness Awareness Month and National Homeless Youth Awareness Month. Along with losing their home, community, friends, and routines as well as their sense of stability and safety, many homeless youth are also victims of trauma. While trying to survive on the streets, youth are exposed to countless dangers, with an increased likelihood of substance abuse, early parenthood, impulsivity, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, and a vulnerability to being trafficked.

Resources:
https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/observances/homelessness-awareness-month
https://www.nctsn.org/resources/public-awareness/national-homeless-youth-awareness-month
https://www.sfusd.edu/announcements/2024-11-12-november-national-homeless-youth-awareness-month

10/31/2024

October is Mental Health Awareness Month
Raising awareness of mental health, reducing the stigma and discrimination against people living with mental illness, and promoting positive well-being in the community.
Resources:
https://www.nami.org/.../Mental-Illness-Awareness-Week...
https://americanbehavioralclinics.com/national.../
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline