Kaiser, Don't Deny

Patients need access to timely and consistent mental health services

Our Solutions

Kaiser mental health clinicians represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers have asked Kaiser to make the following improvements:

1. Kaiser needs to hire hundreds more full-service therapists.
There’s no solution that doesn’t start with a dramatic increase in the number of therapists. One therapist for every 3,000 Kaiser members just isn’t enough. We don’t need “intake specialists” to rush people in the door without being able to care for them afterwards. We need full-time therapists to provide the consistent, ongoing care our patients need and pay for with their monthly premiums.

2. Kaiser needs Crisis Teams in every Psychiatry Department.
Often patients show up with acute needs and must be cared for immediately. We need dedicated teams to care for patients in crisis so we don’t have to cancel other appointments to address emergencies.

3. Kaiser therapists need more work time for patient care duties beyond seeing patients.
To provide quality care, therapists need time to complete patient care duties beyond face-to-face therapy. We need to be able to coordinate with other health care providers, follow up with schools and social service agencies, and complete patients’ charts — all within our scheduled working hours.

Has Kaiser Permanente delayed or denied your mental health care?
Have you or a loved one been forced to endure long waits for appointments?

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