Mental health professionals at Kaiser Permanente began a three-day strike Wednesday, taking to the street to picket in Kailua-Kona.
Feeling exhausted and overwhelmed, more than 50 psychologists, licensed clinical social workers, medical social workers, psychiatric nurses and chemical dependency counselors across the state are on a three-day strike in demand for better health care. Public events are planned through Friday.
The main issue cited by local nurses is that patients are having to wait two to three months to see a mental health professional due to a lack of staffing. More, often the lengthy wait happens when a person is in dire need of help.
According to the union, Kaiser currently employs approximately 50 full-time equivalent clinicians who provide direct mental health care for Kaiser’s 266,000 members in Hawaii, a ratio of approximately one mental health clinician for every 5,320 members.
“I’ve seen that hospitalizations due to mental health issues are up,” said Tami Swonigan, a mental health professional visiting from Oahu and taking part in the picket outside the Kona Medical Office off Honokohau Street. “There’s a huge increase there. Especially with adolescents and teens. If you can’t get a child in for an appointment in nine weeks what does that do to their health and wellness? The number of people ending up in the hospital is concerning.”
Ayako Sakuragi, a Kailua-Kona psychologist who works with children and teens, agreed.
“Little kids wait two or three months for a first appointment. Think about that — a child in distress,” she said.
But it’s not only the children who are waiting for months. Adults and geriatric patients are also not able to access mental health care, and professionals are concerned. More, after COVID-19, depression and anxiety went up, particularly in older patients, who are often more secluded and at risk.
“We can’t even get them a telephone appointment closer than several weeks,” Swonigan said. “We need more providers all across the board.”
The staffers, represented by the National Union of Healthcare Workers, are asking for better wages to retain current employees, and incentives to attract new mental health professionals. But high living costs combined with low pay is making it hard to attract workers.
This November, NUHW filed a 57-page complaint with the state Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. In the complaint, professionals stated that only 28% of Kaiser’s out-of-network mental health therapists are accepting new Kaiser members for care. They also found that Kaiser’s mental health call center makes patients to wait on hold for up to an hour before they can speak to a clinician, and stunningly up to four weeks for a return call.
For one mental health professional, the long wait times are unjust and inappropriate.
“If someone comes to see me I can’t bring them back for a follow up appointment, that’s inappropriate,” said Darha Wallsten. “We’re not practicing the care we should.”
The union announced the three-day strike on Friday. The staffers took to the streets Wednesday after n progress was made during a bargaining session on Tuesday. No sessions have been scheduled while clinicians are on strike.
Kaiser on Tuesday called the strike a “bargaining tactic,” saying the union has turned to the action “every time they negotiate a contract with Kaiser Permanente.”
“We strongly believe that a strike is unwarranted. In the face of a national shortage of mental health clinicians, and the growing need for mental health services, Kaiser Permanente continues to actively recruit in Hawaii to ensure care is available for our members. In the last 12 months, we have hired 21 Behavioral Health clinical staff. We have also significantly expanded our ability to provide virtual care to patients who want it, increasing convenience and access. We are committed to continuing this essential work,” Kaiser said in a prepared statement.
The health maintenance organization vowed to continue to bargain in good faith with the union to reach a “fair and equitable” agreement.