Cabaj was very active in medical and psychiatric professional societies, including the American Psychiatric Association, the California Psychiatric Association, the Northern California Psychiatric Society, and the American Medical Association.[4] He was president of the American Association of Physicians for Human Rights when it changed its name in 1994 to the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association to more openly reflect its membership and mission of advocating for LGBT physicians. He was quoted in the Los Angeles Times:
"Our name has kept us hidden for the last 12 years or so", Cabaj says. "People in the know knew who we were. But I think we've learned that to fight the impact of homophobia on health care ... It should, hopefully, instill a new sense of pride in the members."[5]
In 1996, he and colleague Terry Stein published one of the first evidence-based textbooks on LGBT mental health.[6] He continued to write and speak on these topics and to be active in LGBT health and mental health organizations. He was frequently quoted on topics of LGBT mental health by outlets ranging from the New York Times[7] to JAMA.[8] He was an advisor on sex and gender considerations in DSM-IV.[9]
In addition to his advocacy for LGBT patients and physicians, he strongly advocated for public psychiatry programs. He served for several years as the Director of the San Francisco Department of Mental Health. At the time of his death, he was chair of psychiatry and medical director for San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, in San Mateo, California, as well as associate clinical professor of psychiatry at University of California, San Francisco.[10] Cabaj died in February 2020 at the age of 72.[11]
