For decades, Carl Feinstein, MD, helped shape the future of child and adolescent psychiatry through clinical care, academic leadership, and an unwavering commitment to improving outcomes for patients and families.
It is with great sadness we share that Dr. Feinstein passed away peacefully earlier this month, surrounded by family. He leaves behind a legacy spanning more than six decades in psychiatry, defined by a patient- and caregiver-centered approach that touched the lives of tens of thousands of people across the globe.
As Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Trayt Health, Dr. Feinstein was instrumental in defining the company’s clinical vision from day one. Alongside Founder & CEO Malekeh Amini, he helped build a platform grounded in a simple but transformative principle: behavioral health care should be patient- and caregiver-centered, data-informed, and connected across the full continuum of care.
A nationally respected psychiatrist, Dr. Feinstein served as Professor Emeritus in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Stanford University and Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Vice Chair of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of California Riverside School of Medicine. Throughout his career, he championed more holistic approaches to behavioral care, emphasizing the relationship between mental health and physical health, and the importance of treating both together.
That philosophy became foundational to how Dr. Feinstein and Malekeh viewed Trayt Health’s mission. They recognized early that fragmented systems and incomplete patient information often prevented clinicians from delivering the best possible care. They believed technology could help close those gaps by equipping clinicians with richer clinical insights and more comprehensive longitudinal data that provided higher levels of precision through measurement-informed care.
Dr. Feinstein’s clinical leadership contributed to Trayt Health evolving from an innovative concept into a trusted behavioral health platform supporting statewide psychiatry access programs, health systems, pediatric providers, and behavioral health specialists nationwide. Today, the platform supports more than 30,000 providers across 24+ major health systems and 20+ statewide programs. They trust the platform in part because Dr. Feinstein and Malekeh wove technology into grounded clinical strategy.
Always looking to the future, in a recent interview Dr. Feinstein reflected on the current moment in behavioral health care and what is needed to push toward a better patient experience.
“We face serious risks ahead. Provider shortages, cost pressures, and the possibility that mental health becomes further stigmatized or carved out from the rest of healthcare,” Dr. Feinstein said. “The future depends on recognizing that mental health is health. Technology can help make care more accessible and effective, but it must be implemented thoughtfully. The challenge is large, but so is the need.”
Carrying Forward Dr. Feinstein’s Legacy of Clinical Leadership
As Trayt Health continues to expand its platform across pediatric, perinatal, and behavioral health programs nationwide, the company is announcing the launch of its Clinical Advisory Board. This new initiative is designed to deepen clinical oversight, strengthen evidence-based innovation, and guide the future development of Trayt Health’s products.
The Clinical Advisory Board brings together leading experts across psychiatry, psychology, pediatrics, maternal mental health, integrated care, population health, and behavioral health operations to ensure Trayt Health’s platform remains grounded in real-world clinical practice and evolving patient needs.
Importantly, this board represents a continuation of Dr. Feinstein’s enduring vision for clinically guided innovation.
“From the earliest days of Trayt Health, Carl championed the need for better care models supported by technology that could serve the clinician, patient and caregiver first,” said Amini. “The Clinical Advisory Board will carry that philosophy forward to create collaborative frameworks where clinical leaders can directly inform the technology that supports care models and measurement-informed approaches that improve precision in psychiatry.”
As behavioral health systems nationwide face unprecedented demand amid significant workforce shortages, Trayt Health believes technology backed by strong clinical leadership is more important than ever. The new Advisory Board reflects the company’s commitment to building technology in partnership with the clinicians, researchers, and healthcare leaders who work on the front lines every day.
Dr. Feinstein’s impact on psychiatry and behavioral health technology innovation will continue to be felt for years to come through the clinicians he mentored, the patients and families he helped support, and the systems of care he worked tirelessly to improve.
We mourn the loss and honor the legacy of our friend, colleague, and co-founder, Dr. Feinstein.
In the coming weeks, we will announce the structure and inaugural members of the Trayt Health Clinical Advisory Board. Contact us if you are a clinician, a researcher, or a program leader interested in learning more about the board.
