Kaiser Permanente mental health workers in California are nearing their eighth week of being on strike and are expected to continue after the health care provider’s latest contract offer was rejected earlier this week.Nearly 40% of Kaiser’s therapists have established picket lines throughout the state, including several locations in Northern California. It’s an open-ended strike, meaning that members will be out as long as they need and until an agreement is reached with the hospital system. The unionized health care workers are demanding that the health system expand its ability to properly care for patients in a timely manner when needed. Sarah Soroken has been on the picket lines for seven weeks now and said her commitment comes from wanting to be a better mental health provider.”Currently our patients aren’t able to get the care that they need to get better and in some cases, this really becomes a life or death issue and this is no longer tolerable for us,” Soroken said. Soroken added that they’re looking for Kaiser Permanente’s support in providing care while complying with their code of ethics.KCRA 3 reached out to Kaiser Permanente for information about waiting times for patients seeking mental health services. While they didn’t answer specific questions, they sent a statement that read in part:”Our primary care doctors are also trained to screen for, diagnose, and treat mild mental health conditions…” and added that they’ve “continues to reach out to patients whose appointment with an internal provider is affected, to offer them another internal care provider or a provider from our network of contracted community providers.”Dr. Corrine McIntosh Sako, a licensed clinical psychologist, said that Kaiser Permanente reached out to her three times to help assist their members and offered to pay upfront, but she declined.”Even with that benefit, I stand in solidarity with my behavioral colleagues in saying that Kaiser needs to do better,” said Sako. The psychologist also stressed that the lack of timely care for the most vulnerable patients could impact their daily life and increase safety risks. While Kaiser didn’t disclose the exact number of therapists still out, it said, “For all patients whose appointments are affected and choose not to reschedule, we have a clinical quality review process in place to ensure they receive the care they need.”California’s Department of Managed Health Care opened a targeted enforcement investigation to determine if Kaiser is providing timely access to appointments during the strike, as required by the law. They are monitoring and tracking consumer complaints online at www.HealthHelp. ca.gov or by phone at 1-888-466-2219 and helping them obtain timely appointments for behavioral health services.The agency received 156 access complaints against Kaiser related to mental health care from Aug. 15 to Sept. 17.| Video Below | Thousands of Kaiser Permanente employees start strikingKaiser Permanente created a line for members experiencing difficulty getting appointments regarding their mental health. That number is 1-800-390-3503. The health care provider said it aims to ensure access to mental health services while balancing the needs of its employees.
Kaiser Permanente mental health workers in California are nearing their eighth week of being on strike and are expected to continue after the health care provider’s latest contract offer was rejected earlier this week.
Nearly 40% of Kaiser’s therapists have established picket lines throughout the state, including several locations in Northern California.
It’s an open-ended strike, meaning that members will be out as long as they need and until an agreement is reached with the hospital system.
The unionized health care workers are demanding that the health system expand its ability to properly care for patients in a timely manner when needed.
Sarah Soroken has been on the picket lines for seven weeks now and said her commitment comes from wanting to be a better mental health provider.
“Currently our patients aren’t able to get the care that they need to get better and in some cases, this really becomes a life or death issue and this is no longer tolerable for us,” Soroken said.
Soroken added that they’re looking for Kaiser Permanente’s support in providing care while complying with their code of ethics.
KCRA 3 reached out to Kaiser Permanente for information about waiting times for patients seeking mental health services. While they didn’t answer specific questions, they sent a statement that read in part:
“Our primary care doctors are also trained to screen for, diagnose, and treat mild mental health conditions…” and added that they’ve “continues to reach out to patients whose appointment with an internal provider is affected, to offer them another internal care provider or a provider from our network of contracted community providers.”
Dr. Corrine McIntosh Sako, a licensed clinical psychologist, said that Kaiser Permanente reached out to her three times to help assist their members and offered to pay upfront, but she declined.
“Even with that benefit, I stand in solidarity with my behavioral colleagues in saying that Kaiser needs to do better,” said Sako.
The psychologist also stressed that the lack of timely care for the most vulnerable patients could impact their daily life and increase safety risks.
While Kaiser didn’t disclose the exact number of therapists still out, it said, “For all patients whose appointments are affected and choose not to reschedule, we have a clinical quality review process in place to ensure they receive the care they need.”
California’s Department of Managed Health Care opened a targeted enforcement investigation to determine if Kaiser is providing timely access to appointments during the strike, as required by the law.
They are monitoring and tracking consumer complaints online at www.HealthHelp.ca.gov or by phone at 1-888-466-2219 and helping them obtain timely appointments for behavioral health services.
The agency received 156 access complaints against Kaiser related to mental health care from Aug. 15 to Sept. 17.
| Video Below | Thousands of Kaiser Permanente employees start striking
Kaiser Permanente created a line for members experiencing difficulty getting appointments regarding their mental health. That number is 1-800-390-3503. The health care provider said it aims to ensure access to mental health services while balancing the needs of its employees.