Nicholas Holmes, MD, president of UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals and Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee hosted East Bay faith leaders for a community conversation on preventing youth violence and supporting children's health.
The gathering of about 75 spiritual leaders and representatives for local elected officials created an opportunity to connect directly with hospital and city leadership, share experiences from congregations and constituencies, and inform ongoing efforts to prevent violence and support families.
"A child doesn't arrive at the hospital as a simple medical case; they come with a story, a family, and a community," Holmes said. "If we are serious about protecting our children's health, we cannot separate physical health from spiritual, emotional, and community well-being."
From the day of a child's admission, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals begins planning how to support them once they return home. Patients recovering from violent injuries are connected to the Hospital-Based Youth Violence Intervention Program , which serves youth ages 12 to 19 who are at high risk of reinjury.
"We meet these patients at the bedside and connect them to community programs," Holmes said, including case management, mentorship, and mental health care. "This isn't just about treatment - it's about breaking cycles of violence and supporting the long-term health of families."
First in trauma and mental health
Faith leaders shared personal stories about barriers to health care and how UCSF Benioff Children's Hospitals have supported their loved ones at critical moments, from the birth of a child to a sudden serious illness - underscoring the hospitals' longstanding role in the community.
Lee reflected on her own experience as a parent. "I spent many nights at UCSF Children's Hospital Oakland with my two sons," she said. "I was on Medi-Cal, and they took care of my kids and let me stay with them. That hospital has a deep history with me."
The mayor emphasized that addressing violence and supporting families requires a unified effort and ongoing partnership with health care workers and community leaders. "Health care is a shared community responsibility - it's all hands on deck," she said.
Building on that commitment, Lee in 2025 convened mayors, public health leaders, regional partners, and law enforcement in Oakland alongside gun violence prevention experts to advance solutions for a safer Bay Area.
Community funding, including Alameda County's Measure C sales tax, is helping to sustain and expand trauma services and violence prevention programs at UCSF Benioff Oakland, the only Level I pediatric trauma center in Alameda County.
The Oakland hospital is also building the region's first inpatient unit dedicated to child and adolescent behavioral health, an effort to address the growing mental health needs among youth and help break cycles of violence, Holmes noted.
"No matter how big we get and how much we grow, one thing will not change," Holmes said. "We will continue to serve every child, regardless of their ability to pay."
"Gatherings like this are really important, because it's all about partnership," Holmes added. "Together we can extend care beyond hospital walls, connect families to support, and build safer, healthier communities for our children."
