H. Westley Clark, M.D., J.D., M.P.H.

1999 Solomon Carter Fuller Award Recipient

Lecture Title: Substance Abuse Treatment in Multi-Cultural Communities: A National Perspective

Dr. Clark earned a B.A. in chemistry from Wayne State University in 1969 before obtaining his M.D. and M.P.H. from the University of Michigan. He furthered his education by obtaining a J.D. from Harvard University Law School. Dr. Clark holds board certification in psychiatry from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, as well as sub-specialty certification in addiction medicine from the American Board of Preventive Medicine. Presently, he serves as the Dean’s Executive Professor of Public Health at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. Previously, he held the position of Director at the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, leading the national endeavor to offer effective and accessible treatment to individuals grappling with addictive disorders.

In addition to his role at Santa Clara University, Dr. Clark has held various esteemed positions in academia and public service. He served as chief of the Associated Substance Abuse Programs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Francisco, California, and as an associate clinical professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Dr. Clark contributed significantly as a senior program consultant to the Robert Wood Johnson Substance Abuse Policy Program and as a co-investigator on multiple research grants funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Moreover, he played a vital role in shaping healthcare policy while working as a health counsel for Senator Edward Kennedy on the US Senate Committee of Labor and Human Resources.

Dr. Clark's profound impact on the field of substance abuse treatment has been recognized through numerous awards. Notably, he received the 2015 James Ralph Memorial Award for Outstanding Public Service from the Black Psychiatrists of America (BPA) and a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013. His contributions were further acknowledged with the John P. McGovern Award from the American Society of Addiction Medicine in 2008, honoring his efforts in advancing the understanding of the relationship between addiction and society. Additionally, Dr. Clark received the prestigious Solomon Carter Fuller Award in 1999 for his significant contributions to the field.