KAISER PERMANENTE EXPANDS MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

ACCESS IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY

BY NORA HESTON TARTE

Mental health has been at the forefront of conversations in the health industry for years, and over the past year the need for these services has increased as people endure struggles related to the COVID-19 pandemic may it be fear, anxiety, loss, loneliness, or another byproduct of the circumstances. Kaiser Permanente Central Valley stepped up to the plate, acknowledging the need for additional mental health services, continued care with social distancing protocols, and destigmatizing the image associated with seeking mental health services. “We have seen a rise in demand for mental health services since the COVID-19 pandemic began,” says Amanjot Deol, MD, chief of Behavioral Health at Kaiser Permanente Central

Valley.

Creating ways for patients to connect with mental health providers was one of the main goals for Kaiser Permanente Central Valley. “To help ensure our patients and members receive the care they need we have increased our mental and safety standards. With more space, health outreach through remote access there is room for more staff to treat more by video and phone and providing patients in both individual treatment appropriate levels of care,” Dr. Deol and group class offerings. The Modestosays. Assessments are offered through Enterprise Health and Wellness Center video visits to respect social distancing opened in 2020 to allow for better access guidelines, virtual technology is used in to services in this region. In the coming emergency departments by mental health months, these services will also be clinicians to provide support, web-based expanded in the Stockton area as well as classes and group therapy platforms Lathrop and Manteca (due to the opening have been developed to assist patients in of another health and wellness center continuing care, and in-person mental expected to open in summer 2021). health services have expanded into “These state-of-the-art buildings and larger office spaces in Modesto, Stockton, expansion projects demonstrate Kaiser Tracy, and Lathrop to provide in-person Permanente’s ongoing commitment services where appropriate. All of these to the mental health needs of our expansions further develop patient care communities,” Dr. Deol says. “Our hope programs and better serve patient is that all our patients will populations in San Joaquin walk into these facilities and County and beyond. experience this commitment Three major expansions over the past year include new and KAISER PERMANENTE CENTRAL VALLEY and our efforts to destigmatize the image associated with larger facilities to serve growing KP.org/CentralValley seeking mental health populations and adhere to health services.”