Dr Shayan Rab goes where Psychiatrists have rarely gone, into the streets where the unhoused of Los Angele, California, strive to survive. He uses the word - majestic - to describe his daily work experience, a word that means beauty and dignity. It is how he sees the opportunity to save a life and to change systems to respond to this USA humanitarian crisis. Through the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (LACDMH), he began what he calls a journey, walking into the streets finding ways to treat individuals who are on the brink of losing their capacity to continue living because of their mental illness. In 2018, when the program started at LACDMH, called The HOME (Homeless Outreach Mobile Engagement) Team, he was the only Psychiatrist with a multidisciplinary staff including a Nurse, Social Worker, Medical Caseworker and Peer. Since then because of the program’s successes it has received enough support to expand to 17 Psychiatrists with over 200 staff, fanned out to all parts of the large geographic area of Los Angeles with Dr. Rab as a Medical Director. It is not enough that he only does his daily work, he has become a missionary speaking about and showing how the various parts of a community can work together to solve what seems an impossible problem. Listen to this episode and you will hear how he seems to be what can be called the right person at the right time, able to move among the most dire circumstances of the unhoused, building their trust with dedication and bringing the attitude of LACDMH’s Motto - Hope, Wellness and Recovery. In his approach and spirit, he pioneered a model of Street Psychiatry, giving that to the community of Los Angeles, around the country and to the citizens of the world.

The LACDMH 24/7 access number for help is 1-800-854-7771

The National Suicide Crisis Line is #988