This article is reprinted from the Speak Out Now healthcare newsletter at Kaiser and Highland Hospitals in Oakland, CA.
As of April 7th, mental health workers in Southern California have been on strike for 26 weeks. They are protesting the Kaiser administration’s failure to meet their demands or address critical issues in the for-profit healthcare system. The strike is not just about pay and working conditions, but also about the quality of care being provided to patients. This recently became clear when the Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC) released an 88-page report that sheds light on some of the systemic issues within Kaiser’s mental health services.
In 2023, Kaiser was fined a $200 million penalty for failing to meet mental health care standards involving patients getting appointments in a timely manner. As of today, the company has corrected only 1 out of 20 violations outlined in the report, which means that for years patients have been having to wait anywhere from a few weeks to months to get even a simple appointment for their mental health needs.
Under capitalism, healthcare is nothing more than a big business, and this is no different for Kaiser. As the strike continues, it’s becoming increasingly clear that Kaiser is more willing to pay penalties for violations than improve working conditions and patients’ health. Not a surprise that the company’s decision to continue operating understaffed and with poor working conditions has sparked outrage among its mental health workers, who are demanding better conditions and a more patient-centered approach to care.
Click here to read the article printed in the 04-09-25 Healthcare Newsletter
