Issue Areas
Kaiser Permanente provides high-quality behavioral health care to our members and promotes the integration of mental health and medical services. To meet our country’s increasing demand for behavioral health services, we work closely with policymakers and experts to develop solutions that support and grow the mental health workforce and expand access to care for our members and the communities we serve.
Supporting behavioral health care for adults
Our approach to behavioral health is centered on delivering patient-focused care, employing evidence-based practices, and utilizing innovative approaches such as:
- Placing the patient’s voice at the center of decision-making and treatment choices, such as Feedback Informed Care
- Ensuring that providers are communicating with each other to treat and manage depression through the use of the Collaborative Care
- Utilizing telehealth and digital therapeutics to increase access and provide a variety of supportive resources.
Supporting behavioral health care for children and youth
Well-crafted public policies can support early intervention and behavioral health care for children and youth. Kaiser Permanente partners with community agencies, schools, health systems, and policy leaders to ensure young people receive the behavioral health and wellness services they need.
Addressing substance use disorder
To help address substance use disorders, we’re focused on improving best practices, including using our Zero Overdose Dashboard and Best Practice Alert system. These tools play a critical role in tracking patients who are at risk for overdose and then prescribing life-saving medication, such as naloxone.
Our clinician education program prepares health care providers to identify at-risk patients, reduce stigma, and provide appropriate medications for treatment.
Growing the mental health workforce
Over half of Americans live in an area with a shortage of mental health providers. That’s why our efforts to bolster and grow the mental health workforce are critical to improving mental health care for everyone.
In addition to our workforce initiatives, we also work with policy leaders to:
- Increase the number of providers by offering financial incentives, such as loan forgiveness and scholarships.
- Reduce challenges to new graduates in the mental health field by streamlining licensure requirements, inclusive of virtual supervision, consistency across states in licensing processes, and accelerated clinical training timelines.
- Provide Medicare reimbursement for certified peer support specialists and masters level counselors.
- Increase the ethnic and linguistic diversity of providers to better serve our communities
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