SAN JOSE (KCBS RADIO) – Some 2,000 mental health professionals with California healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente are striking Monday morning in San Jose.
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The strike culminates from what staff have been saying are persistent unethical working conditions that have put patients at risk – particularly long wait times. "We're concerned about patient access to care," said Agnes, a psychologist with Kaiser. "Right now appointments are weeks if not sometimes months in advance."
"We're concerned about patient access to care," said Agnes, a psychologist with Kaiser. "Right now appointments are weeks if not sometimes months in advance."
The issues don't stop just with wait times. Staff also don't have adequate time to do things like charting, and discussing cases with other staff members.
For Sim Virdee, who does the initial intake for patients at Kaiser seeking mental health care, it's disheartening to know how long patients are waiting for help.
"It's unfortunate when a patient who is in distress has to wait – October, November, end of November – for booking an appointment, just to be seen, and then have to wait another month or more maybe to be seen again," she told KCBS Radio.
This is especially prevalent in recent years as the pandemic has led to a rise in caseload numbers for therapists.
Under new state law, patients must receive a follow-up appointment within 10 days of requesting one. But mental health professionals at Kaiser say that current conditions and staffing levels make fulfilling that impossible.
The strike is open-ended and state law requires Kaiser to provide mental healthcare to patients despite the walkout.
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