Marissa Raymond-Flesch, MD, MPH

Dr. Raymond-Flesch is a Professor in the Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies (IHPS) and the Division of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine within the Department of Pediatrics. Clinically, she practices Adolescent Medicine with patients 12 to 26 years old, including treatment of depression, anxiety, and eating disorders; providing all types of contraception; and providing primary care for patients with complex medical and mental health conditions. Her program of research focuses on understanding and improving the mental health, reproductive health, and healthcare access of adolescents and young adults, particularly those from rural and underserved communities. She is especially interested in using community-based participatory research to design meaningful research projects and create health inventions that communities want and need. She has three main branches of research.

1. Novel therapeutics for patients with eating disorders: Dr. Raymond-Flesch is the Principal Investigator for the Study of Psilocybin for Anorexia Nervosa in Young Adults (SPANYA). Psilocybin has shown remarkable potential for the treatment of other severe and enduring mental illnesses, and its safety profile has been remarkably good across studies. Psilocybin’s mechanisms of action are through serotonergic and anatomical pathways that are implicated in anorexia, making it a promising approach. SPANYA is testing the efficacy of psilocybin therapy in patients with ongoing brain development, ages 18 to 25 years old.

2. Improving adolescent and young adult access to abortion services: Dr. Raymond-Flesch and her team have developed, tested, and disseminated a curriculum to train pediatricians in the provision of medication abortion in primary care settings. She is also the senior investigator on a national mixed-methods study to better understand the post-Dobbs era abortion referral practices of providers who serve adolescents and young adults across the country. The goal of this project is to better characterize the systems-level barriers to abortion referral and better understand the strategies that providers are using to promote access to comprehensive health care.

3. Investigating the mental health, reproductive health, and wellbeing outcomes for Latine youth in immigrant communities: In partnership with colleagues from RTI, UC Berkeley, and the Monterey County Health Department, Dr. Raymond-Flesch is examining the relationship between gang violence, unintended teen pregnancies, and mental health in a cohort of 599 early adolescents in Salinas, California - a small, predominantly Latino community in California’s rural central coast. To date, this work has highlighted the critical role that family plays in positive youth development, reducing depressive symptoms, buffering traumatic experiences, and increasing reproductive health knowledge. The second phase of this project, "A Crecer: Young Adult Health Study," is following the same participants into young adulthood to further assess the factors that support rural youth to thrive.
Education
2018 - Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training, University of California
Fellow, 2016 - Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine, University of California San Francisco
Fellow, 2016 - Health Policy, University of California San Francisco
Residency and Chief Residency, 2012 - Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Mount Sinai Hospital
M.D., 2008 - Medicine, Cornell University
M.P.H., 2007 - Public Health, Adolescent Health, Columbia University, Mailman School of Public Health
B.S., 2003 - Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Honors and Awards
  • Hilary E.C. Millar Award for Innovative Approaches to Adolescent Health Care, Society of Adolescent Health and Medicine, 2025
  • Distinction in Mentoring Award, Academic Senate, University of California San Francisco, 2025
  • Faculty Leadership Award, Department of Pediatrics Fellows Leadership & Advocacy Group, University of California San Francisco, 2020
  • Haile T. Debas Academy of Medical Educators Excellence in Teaching Award, University of California San Francisco, 2020
  • John A. Watson Faculty Scholar, University of California San Francisco, 2017
  • Melvin M. Grumbach Award for Excellence in Research, University of California San Francisco, 2016
  • NIH Loan Repayment Program, National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities, 2015-2017
  • David Knopf Award for Service, University of California San Francisco, 2014
  • Honors in Public Service, Cornell University School of Medicine, 2008
  • Community Service Award, Medical Society of New York, 2008
  • Macy’s Fellowship in Public Health, Columbia University, 2006

  1. Chen JL, Raymond-Flesch M, Hoffmann TJ, Lin CX, Xu L, Koester KA. Evaluating the Preliminary Efficacy of the TRUST Intervention on Alone-Time and Communication During Well-Adolescent Visits: Quasi-Experimental Study. JMIR pediatrics and parenting 2025. PMID: 40921058


  2. Morse SM, Yarger J, Hopkins K, Hecht HK, Rossetto I, Perez LAT, Raymond-Flesch M, Tyler L, Lizarraga M, Hargrave-Bouagnon A, Harper CC. Intimate partner violence and delays in obtaining contraception among young people in California and Texas. Contraception 2025. PMID: 40914262


  3. Bryson AE, Oberman M, Lehmann LS, Ralph LJ, Brindis CD, Raymond-Flesch M. Navigating a new frontier: An exploratory study of clinicians' confidence in their ability to help adolescents access abortion post-Dobbs. Contraception 2025. PMID: 40714184


  4. Caballero E, Minnis A, Parmar DD, Zerofsky M, Comfort M, Raymond-Flesch M. Labeling in a California Latinx community: public health implications for youth and role in community narratives. BMC public health 2025. PMID: 40702528


  5. Stoner MCD, Browne EN, Raymond-Flesch M, Comfort M, Minnis AM. Short-Term Effects of Peer-Bullying Victimization on Intimate Partner Violence. American journal of preventive medicine 2025. PMID: 40513913


  6. Forsberg S, Downey AE, Bruett LD, Hail L, Fernandes-Osterhold G, Woolley JD, Lafrance A, Raymond-Flesch M. Leveraging family and caregiver support in psychedelic-assisted therapy: considerations for the treatment of adolescents. Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health 2025. PMID: 40468435


  7. Julia Raney, Chelsea Garnett, Amanda Bryson, Lisa Mihaly, Sara Buckelew, Marissa Raymond-Flesch. 5. Evaluating an Adolescent and Young Adult-Focused Medication Abortion Curriculum for Pediatric Trainees. Journal of pediatric and adolescent gynecology 2025. PMID:


  8. Brissett D, Rankine J, Mihaly L, Barral R, Svetaz MV, Culyba A, Raymond-Flesch M. Addressing Structural Violence in School Policies: A Call to Protect Children's Safety and Well-Being. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 2025. PMID: 40117388


  9. Julia Raney, Chelsea Garnett, Amanda Bryson, Lisa Mihaly, Sara Buckelew, Marissa Raymond-Flesch. Can Pediatric Trainees Learn to Provide Medication Abortions for Adolescent and Young Adult Patients?: Evaluating the Effectiveness of an Adolescent and Young Adult-Focused Medication Abortion Curriculum. Journal of Adolescent Health 2025. PMID:


  10. Marie Stoner, Erica Browne, Marissa Raymond-Flesch, Mary Kate Shapley- Quinn, Nivedita Bhushan, Alondra Jaime-Aguilar, Carmen Ramirez, Jessica Huante, Daisy Gallardo, Megan Comfort, Alexandra Minnis. The Influence of Socioeconomic Instability in Adolescence on Sexual Health During Emerging Adulthood in a Rural, Agricultural Setting In California. Journal of Adolescent Health 2025. PMID:


  11. Nivedita Bhushan, Marissa Raymond-Flesch, Marie Stoner, Erica Browne, Mary Kate Shapley-Quinn, Alexandra Minnis. The Longitudinal Association Between Experiences of Racial and Ethnic Discrimination and Depression Among Latine Adolescents in an Agricultural Community. Journal of Adolescent Health 2025. PMID:


  12. Kumar MM, Argo T, Svetaz MV, Mihaly L, Kelley MA, Galagali P, Key J, Raymond-Flesch M, Karianjahi RN, Kanbur N. The Ethical Value of Universal Screening for Food Security Among Adolescents and Young Adults. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 2025. PMID: 39818429


  13. Haft SL, Downey AE, Raymond-Flesch M, Fernandes-Osterhold G, Bradley ER, O'Donovan A, Woolley J. A systematic review of participant diversity in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy trials. Psychiatry research 2025. PMID: 39823947


  14. AE Bryson, PS Nordstrom Miranda, Zerofsky, Baez De Luna, AM Minnis, M Raymond-Flesch. P003 “IMAGINE A PREGNANCY”: PERSPECTIVES ON PREGNANCY, ABORTION, AND PARENTING OF LATINE EMERGING ADULTS IN AN AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY IN CALIFORNIA. Contraception 2024. PMID:


  15. Downey AE, Chaphekar AV, Woolley J, Raymond-Flesch M. Psilocybin therapy and anorexia nervosa: a narrative review of safety considerations for researchers and clinicians. Journal of eating disorders 2024. PMID: 38659049


  16. Downey AE, Boyd M, Chaphekar AV, Woolley J, Raymond-Flesch M. "But the reality is it's happening": A qualitative study of eating disorder providers about psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy. The International journal of eating disorders 2023. PMID: 37551650


  17. Barney A, Mendez-Contreras S, Hills NK, Buckelew SM, Raymond-Flesch M. Telemedicine in an adolescent and young adult medicine clinic: a mixed methods study. BMC health services research 2023. PMID: 37349720


  18. Patel-Sanchez N, Perito E, Tsai P, Raymond-Flesch M, Lodish M, Sarkar M. Prevalence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease increased with type 2 diabetes mellitus in overweight/obese youth with polycystic ovary syndrome. Journal of pediatric endocrinology & metabolism : JPEM 2023. PMID: 37060356


  19. Caballero E, Minnis A, Parmar D, Zerofsky M, Comfort M, Raymond-Flesch M. Labeling in a Latinx Community: Public Health Implications for Youth and Role in Community Narratives. Research square 2023. PMID: 36993344


  20. Richards A, Raymond-Flesch M, Hughes SD, Zhou Y, Koester KA. Lessons Learned with a Triad of Stakeholder Advisory Boards: Working with Adolescents, Mothers, and Clinicians to Design the TRUST Study. Children (Basel, Switzerland) 2023. PMID: 36980041


  21. Parmar DD, Minnis AM, Caballero E, Zerofsky M, Comfort M, Raymond-Flesch M. Latina mothers' perspectives on adverse experiences and protection of Latinx youth in an agricultural community. BMC public health 2023. PMID: 36732714


  22. Moreno R, Buckelew SM, Accurso EC, Raymond-Flesch M. Disparities in access to eating disorders treatment for publicly-insured youth and youth of color: a retrospective cohort study. Journal of eating disorders 2023. PMID: 36694235


  23. Stoner MCD, Browne EN, Raymond-Flesch M, McGlone L, Morgan-Lopez A, Minnis AM. Social environment risk factors for violence, family context, and trajectories of social-emotional functioning among Latinx adolescents. Journal of adolescence 2022. PMID: 36111552


  24. Raymond-Flesch M, Koyama A, Dhar CP, Brittner M, Chulani VL, Svetaz MV, Baca MA, Barral RL, Hwang LY. Adolescent Medicine Providers: A Critical Extension of the Abortion Service Network. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 2022. PMID: 36088230


  25. Barral R, Svetaz MV, Kelley MA, Kanbur N, Thruston W, Coyne-Beasley T, Mihaly L, Raymond-Flesch M. The Role of Critical Consciousness and Inclusive Curricula in Adolescents and Young Adults' Wellbeing: A Call for Critical Multicultural Education. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 2022. PMID: 35941019


  26. Marissa Raymond-Flesch, Megan Comfort, Colette L. Auerswald, Linda McGlone, Marisol Chavez, Sophia Comas, Erica N. Browne, Alexandra M. Minnis. Latinx Adolescent Perspectives on the Effects of United States Immigration Policy on Wellbeing. Youth & Society 2022. PMID:


  27. Minnis AM, Browne EN, Chavez M, McGlone L, Raymond-Flesch M, Auerswald C. Early Sexual Debut and Neighborhood Social Environment in Latinx Youth. 2022. PMID: 35137189


  28. Coyne-Beasley T, Hill SV, Zimet G, Kanbur N, Kimberlin D, Raymond-Flesch M, Simpson T, Svetaz MV, Trent M, Walker-Harding L. COVID-19 Vaccination of Adolescents and Young Adults of Color: Viewing Acceptance and Uptake With a Health Equity Lens. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 2021. PMID: 33814282


  29. Raymond-Flesch M, Browne EN, Auerswald C, Minnis AM. Family and School Connectedness Associated with Lower Depression among Latinx Early Adolescents in an Agricultural County. American journal of community psychology 2021. PMID: 33534150


  30. Deepika D. Parmar, Elodia Caballero, Alexandra M. Minnis, Melissa S. Zerofsky, Marissa Raymond-Flesch. 9. Latina Mothers’ Perspectives on Adverse Experiences and Protection of Latinx Youth in an Agricultural Community. Journal of Adolescent Health 2021. PMID:


  31. Kanbur N, Barral R, Efevbera Y, Kelley MA, Svetaz MV, Miller E, Bhave S, Coyne-Beasley T, Raymond-Flesch M. Call to Action Against Femicide: Illuminating a Shadow Pandemic as a Global Public Health Emergency. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 2021. PMID: 33431250


  32. Svetaz MV, Barral R, Kelley MA, Simpson T, Chulani V, Raymond-Flesch M, Coyne-Beasley T, Trent M, Ginsburg K, Kanbur N. Inaction Is Not an Option: Using Antiracism Approaches to Address Health Inequities and Racism and Respond to Current Challenges Affecting Youth. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 2020. PMID: 32829758


  33. Barney A, Buckelew S, Mesheriakova V, Raymond-Flesch M. The COVID-19 Pandemic and Rapid Implementation of Adolescent and Young Adult Telemedicine: Challenges and Opportunities for Innovation. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 2020. PMID: 32410810


  34. Alexandra M. Minnis, Erica N. Browne, Marisol Chavez, Linda McGlone, Marissa Raymond-Flesch, Colette Auerswald. 224. Neighborhood Social Environment Associations with Initiation of Sexual Activity in Early and Middle Adolescence: Opportunities for Promoting Positive Sexual Health Outcomes. Journal of Adolescent Health 2020. PMID:


  35. Marissa Raymond-Flesch, Marisol Chavez, Linda McGlone, Elodia Caballero, Megan Comfort, Alexandra Minnis. 46. Labeling of Risk-Taking Behaviors in a Latinx Community: Implications for Youth Engagement With Community Resources. Journal of Adolescent Health 2020. PMID:


  36. Raymond-Flesch M, Lucia L, Jacobs K, Brindis CD. Improving Medicaid Access in Times of Health Policy Change: Solutions from Focus Groups with Frontline Enrollment Workers. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved 2019. PMID: 30827983


  37. Raymond-Flesch M. The Negative Health Consequences of Anti-Immigration Policies. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 2018. PMID: 29709222


  38. Comfort M, Raymond-Flesch M, Auerswald C, McGlone L, Chavez M, Minnis A. Community-engaged Research with Rural Latino Adolescents: Design and Implementation Strategies to Study the Social Determinants of Health. Gateways : international journal of community research & engagement 2018. PMID: 31236142


  39. Siemons R, Raymond-Flesch M, Auerswald CL, Brindis CD. Coming of Age on the Margins: Mental Health and Wellbeing Among Latino Immigrant Young Adults Eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). Journal of immigrant and minority health 2017. PMID: 26852235


  40. Raymond-Flesch M. To Address Health Disparities for Latino Youth, Promote Their Engagement in Health Care. The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 2017. PMID: 28433117


  41. Raymond-Flesch M, Auerswald C, McGlone L, Comfort M, Minnis A. Building social capital to promote adolescent wellbeing: a qualitative study with teens in a Latino agricultural community. BMC public health 2017. PMID: 28178971


  42. Alexandra M. Minnis, Marissa Raymond-Flesch, Linda McGlone, Colette Auerswald. Neighborhood Environment and Resilience: Associations Among 8th Grade Latino Youth Residing in an Agricultural Community. Journal of Adolescent Health 2017. PMID:


  43. Marissa Raymond-Flesch, Colette Auerswald, Linda McGlone, Alexandra Minnis. Teen Perspectives on Protecting Youth from Violence and Teen Pregnancy in an Agricultural Latino Community. Journal of Adolescent Health 2016. PMID:


  44. Raymond-Flesch M, Siemons R, Brindis CD. Research and Engagement Strategies for Young Adult Immigrants Without Documentation: Lessons Learned Through Community Partnership. Progress in community health partnerships : research, education, and action 2016. PMID: 28230545


  45. Raymond-Flesch M, Siemons R, Pourat N, Jacobs K, Brindis CD. "There is no help out there and if there is, it's really hard to find": a qualitative study of the health concerns and health care access of Latino "DREAMers". The Journal of adolescent health : official publication of the Society for Adolescent Medicine 2014. PMID: 25151054


  46. Marissa Raymond-Flesch, Rachel Siemons, Nadereh Pourat, Ken Jacobs, Claire Brindis. “There is No Help Out There and if There is, It's Really Hard to Find”: A Qualitative Study of the Healthcare Access and Concerns of Latino “Dreamers”. Journal of Adolescent Health 2014. PMID:


  47. Marissa Raymond-Flesch, Jennifer Jao. 62. Factors Influencing Reproductive Healthcare for Teens and Young Women in Southern New Mexico: A Qualitative Analysis. Journal of Adolescent Health 2013. PMID:


  48. Lin A.J., Raymond M., Catallozzi M., Ryan O., Rickert V.I.. Relationship Violence in Adolescence Adolescent Medicine: State of the Art Reviews 2008. PMID:


  49. Raymond, M., Bogdanovich, L., Brahmi, D., Cardinal, L.J., Fager, G.L., Frattarelli, L.C., Hecker, G., Jarpe, A.E., Viera, A., Kantor, L., Santelli, J.S.. State Refusal of Federal Funding for Abstinence-Only Programs Sexuality Research and Social Policy: Journal of NSRC 2008. PMID:


  50. Raymond M., Catallozzi M., Lin A.J., Ryan O., Rickert V.I.. The Development of Intimate Relationships in Adolescence Adolescent Medicine: State of the Art Reviews 2008. PMID: