OUR MISSION
RAMS, Inc. (Richmond Area Multi-Services) is a private, non-profit mental health agency that is committed to advocating for and providing community-based, culturally competent, and consumer-guided comprehensive services, with an emphasis on serving Asian & Pacific Islander Americans. Founded in San Francisco’s Richmond District in 1974, RAMS offers comprehensive services that aim to meet the behavioral health, social, vocational, and educational needs of the diverse community of the San Francisco Area with special focus on the Asian & Pacific Islander American and Russian-speaking populations
RAMS provides services, resources and referrals in:
Clinical Services
Creating long-term, lasting wellness throughout all stages of life
Community Wellness and Engagement
Empowering the community through outreach and peer support
Workforce Empowerment
Preparing diverse communities for competitive employment
Professional Training
Training the next generation of mental health workers
OUR VALUES
WHO WE SERVE
Message
From the Board Chair
Welcome to RAMS (Richmond Area Multi-Services, Inc.). Founded in 1974, our foundational focus was to serve the Asian American populations living in the Richmond District of San Francisco to address the lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate mental health services. Since then, RAMS has come to serve the Russian speaking population as well as the rest of the multicultural and multilingual communities in San Francisco and beyond. Today, we serve over 19,000 individuals annually across the Bay Area at more than 130 service sites in over 30 languages and dialects. Our dedicated and committed professional and peer staff embody the principles of respect, humility, cultural responsiveness, innovation, and excellence. We strive to make mental wellness an integral part of every person’s daily healthcare practices.
We welcome you to learn more and engage with RAMS. Visit or join our teams of dedicated professionals enthusiastically serving our communities to make every day a meaningful experience.
Sincerely,
Cynthia Huie
Our History
RAMS, Inc. was founded in 1974 by the Richmond Asian Caucus with a vision to address the needs of the mono/bilingual Asian-speaking population in the Richmond District of San Francisco through providing multi-lingual and culturally competent services. Housed in a humble two-story, wood-paneled storefront situated next to the historic Balboa Theatre, this non-profit organization was the only Asian-focused mental health services center in a neighborhood district that was in the midst of rapid expansion of the Asian American population. In the first five years of operation, the annual budget was approximately $750,000 with a combined workforce of about 35 staff, interns, and trainees.
The services provided by RAMS were reflective of the times during which the agency was founded, with steadily rising immigration from Asia to the United States following the passage of various laws and amendments. During the 1970’s and 1980’s, immigration patterns continued to change, with each group having its own unique circumstances. As such, RAMS continued to assess the community’s changing needs and enhance the programming structure and services to reflect these needs. The agency’s service capacity also expanded to the Russian-speaking population of the Richmond District and beyond. From 1989 to 1999, the number of programs that RAMS offered increased from four to over 20, the number of staff grew by 236%, and the annual budget of RAMS dramatically increased over 626%.