Bibhav Acharya

Bibhav Acharya is an Associate Professor and Founding Director of UCSF Psychiatry HEAL Fellowship in Global Mental Health at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Weill Institute for Neurosciences, within the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at the UCSF School of Medicine. His work focuses on improving mental health outcomes and addressing complex conditions with substantial behavioral components in low-resource settings globally.

Education:

• MD from Yale University School of Medicine
• Certificate Program in Implementation Science from UCSF Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics
• Residency in Psychiatry from UCSF Department of Psychiatry
• B.S. in Chemistry from Haverford College

A psychiatrist born and raised in Nepal, Dr. Acharya's research spans mental health, HIV/AIDS, implementation science, non-communicable diseases, injury & violence, and substance abuse. His work emphasizes adapting evidence-based interventions for low-resource settings, particularly in Nepal, India, Mexico, and rural United States. He has pioneered community-based approaches using digital health tools, motivational interviewing, and behavioral couple's therapy to address depression, anxiety, hypertension, diabetes, HIV, and intimate partner violence.

His recent publications reveal a strong focus on implementation challenges in global mental health, particularly in rural Nepal. Key themes include psychotherapy supervision in resource-limited settings, trauma care systems development, healthcare worker burnout, and digital health interventions for HIV and mental health. His work consistently bridges clinical practice with health systems strengthening, emphasizing community health worker capacity building and culturally appropriate interventions.

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (2017)
• Academic Scholarship Award from UCSF Department of Psychiatry (2015)
• Thomas N. Burbridge Award for Public Service from UCSF Chancellor's Office (2014)
• Leonard Tow Humanism in Medicine Award (2011)
• Howard Hughes Science and Society Scholar (2006)

Dr. Acharya serves as Principal Investigator on multiple NIH-funded research projects addressing global mental health, HIV care, and non-communicable diseases. He is the co-founder and mental health advisor of Possible (www.possiblehealth.org), a nonprofit that has secured over $35 million for health interventions in partnership with the Nepali Government. He also co-edited the 2024 book "Global Mental Health Training and Practice: An Introductory Framework," which synthesizes insights from over 70 collaborators.

His leadership extends to the UCSF Psychiatry HEAL Fellowship in Global Mental Health, which trains psychiatrists as leaders in clinical practice and health systems strengthening in low-resource settings including the Navajo Nation, rural Nepal, and Mexico.