KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
The union representing Kaiser Permanente mental health workers is planning a statewide strike, including the location in Santa Clarita.
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The National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW) filed a notice with state authorities Thursday to announce that mental health clinicians represented by the union will hold a strike at Kaiser Permanente facilities across California from Dec. 10 to Dec. 14.
The strike was “sparked” by the nation’s largest nonprofit HMO’s failure to live up to its promises to fix ongoing understaffing issues that force patients to wait a month or more for mental health therapy appointments, according to the union.
About 4,000 Kaiser psychologists, therapists, social workers, psychiatric nurses and addiction medicine specialists — along with other medical professionals — will stage pickets outside dozens of Kaiser facilities from San Diego to Sacramento during the week-long walkout, according to officials.
“Many of the issues that have plagued Kaiser for years have not gone away,” said Kelly Magee O’Dea, a Kaiser licensed clinical social worker. “The wait times for appointments are far too long, and the end result for too many people is that they either get sicker or they drop out of treatment frustrated because they cannot get the care they need.”
For nearly a decade, through joint union activity, legal efforts and collective bargaining, clinicians have been seeking improvements in mental health care services at Kaiser.
Clinicians want more authority to apply their professional judgement to how often they see their patients and whether individual or group therapy is indicated, according to officials.
NUHW members filed the complaint that led to the initial state investigation, ensuing a $4 million fine.
Since 2015, the union and its members have been committed to working with Kaiser managers to improve care, but the HMO has refused to make meaningful changes to working conditions or access to care, according to officials.
“Our patients are still struggling to access the care they need,” said Emily Schwartz, a Kaiser therapist. “If Kaiser is serious about improving access, it has to work constructively with clinicians and put more resources into solving the problem.”
This week Kaiser reported a $2.9 billion profit over the first nine months of 2018, after reporting a $3.8 billion profit for 2017.
Kaiser has nonprofit status, but holds $42 billion in cash and investments. The organization pays its top managers salaries in millions of dollars with multiple pensions and other benefits.
“Kaiser clearly has the resources to be a mental health care leader; instead it’s a violator of mental health access rules,” said NUHW President Sal Rosselli. “Walking a picket line for five days is a small sacrifice compared to our patients’ burden of waiting weeks for care that they paid for, at times desperately need, and have every right to receive.”
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It’s all about the money. These workers care about You so they will not work for a week. What they want is a fat raise. I can’t understand how the company can make the billion dollars with these laggards on the payroll. Hey, how about new hires taking their place.
And what’s wrong with trying to improve conditions and pay? These therapists are forced to see about 70 patients a week. Kaiser thinks you can fix severe mental health issues with an assembly line model.
Fat raise?? Hardly. But, CEO Tyson can make $8,000,000 a YEAR and have 5 pensions. Kaiser has profited to the tune of over $2 Billion dollars this year. Fix. The. Problem. With. Access.
It’s not about money – if you read the story and/or are a Kaiser member you will know that they are severely and dangerously understaffed! We need more accessible mental health care as the number of tragedies from mental illness continues to grow
Actually, it is not about pay. I am a nurse. I have traveled and worked in many states.
Let me tell you about California nurses. Cali nurses create change. They are leaders in this country and have successfully developed a model for safe nurses practices that are being utilized across this country.
We have a problem in this country. Patients are dying. Nurses in this country are unable to perform and safely provide care because hospital corporations put profits over patient care. Nurses are forced to work with a high acuity workload that creates an environment for errors. Patients are the ones who suffer from the conveyor belt mentality of healthcare that persists in other states. You don’t see the numbers because often mistakes are swept under the wrong and ‘sentinal ” event forms are not filled out.
We have a mental health crisis in this country. There is very little access for those who suffer from mental health issues. There is no treatment with states cutting funding for services. Jails are our new treatment facilities but there is no treatment.
California nurses who are striking to ensure this demographic group receives their due right to access for services, medication and treatment are heroes. This strike will impact many states. Because once again, California nurses are striking and advocating for their patients.
Diminishing this as a quest for increased wages is harmful to those are in desperate need for services. You can not be paid enough to do what we nurses do on a daily basis. Nursing is a “calling.” We often sacrifice time with family and children to provide care to those who ill. Nurses are at the frontline of advocacy for those who can not speak for themselves.
KUDOS to California nurses. Man, I love these nurses.
Sincerely,
Carmen Urquidi, RN
New Orleans, LA
Thanks!! I too am a nurse. I see healthcare as a big business industry. It’s not about the care of people except for those of us who are in the front lines. I’m proud of my profession and being able to care for others. I support nurses and other medical professionals who stand up for our human rights. Someday, it will be you or your family member needing care. Thank you California nurses for standing up to big corporate greed!
It sure is all about the money, andKaiser has it but won’t spend it . They sure have very high premiums but they will not provide the services that people are paying for these people that are walking a pick up line work there asses off shame on you
I have family/friends who are currently in therapy at Kaiser . They tell me just how hard the mental health therapists work to support their clients & how caring they are! It’s not about the money. It’s about Kaiser acknowledging that they are short staffed and that these therapists are doing the best that they can with the limited resources that they are given! Kaiser is a billion dollar company so what’s wrong with Kaiser showing their employees fairness and more appreciation for their hard work! Kaiser take care of your employees so that they can provide more support for their patients! Mental health is so over looked! Something has to change!
I agree with this strike…..kaiser needs to have parity for both medical and psychological mental health needs, patients need to be seen more timely, and as often as they need to be seen, they should have adequate mental health workers, from therapists to the nurses to the caseworkers, unfortunately ppos as well, do not adequately meet the needs of their patients either…..change is definately needed, I stand behind these workers