Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

Director, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)

Dr. H. Westley Clark, Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, leads the agency’s national effort to provide effective and accessible treatment to all Americans with addictive disorders.  Dr. Clark was the former chief of the Associated Substance Abuse Programs at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (DVAMC) in San Francisco, California and a former associate clinical professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of California at San Francisco (UCSF).  In addition to his duties at the DVAMC, Dr. Clark served as a senior program consultant to the Robert Wood Johnson, Substance Abuse Policy Program, a co-investigator on a number of the National Institute on Drug Abuse-funded research grants in conjunction with UCSF.

Dr. Clark is a noted author and educator in substance abuse treatment, anger and pain management, psychopharmacology, and medical and legal issues.  He has received numerous awards for his contributions to the field of substance abuse treatment, including  a 2008 President of the United States  Rank of  Distinguished Executive Award in recognition of his personal commitment to excellence in government and public service; and a 2003 President of the United States of America Rank of Meritorious Executive Award in the Senior Executive Service for his sustained superior accomplishments in management of programs of the United States Government and for noteworthy achievement of quality and efficiency in the public service, 2003.  In addition, he was awarded the 2008 John P. McGovern Award from the American Society of Addiction Medicine for his contributions toward increased understanding of the relationship between addiction and society. 

Other awards include the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service far exceeding Departmental standards of achievement by exhibiting outstanding teamwork and timeliness on the complex task of completing the Methadone Final Rule which required coordination among several Federal agencies, 2001; Vernelle Fox Award from the California Society of Addiction Medicine for excellence in Addiction Medicine, Education and Public Service, 2000. 

Dr. Clark received a B.A. in Chemistry from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan; he holds a Medical Degree and a Masters in Public Health from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; where he completed a Psychiatric Residency at University Hospital, Neuropsychiatric Institute.  He obtained his Juris Doctorate from Harvard University Law School and completed a two-year Substance Abuse Fellowship at the DVAMC-SF.  Dr. Clark received his board certification from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in Psychiatry and sub-specialty certification in Addiction Psychiatry. Dr. Clark is licensed to practice medicine in California, Maryland, Massachusetts and Michigan.  He is also a member of the Washington, D.C., Bar Association.

Last updated: 11/30/2010