NUHW Members Lobby California Lawmakers for Mental Health Parity Bills

Advocacy for Mental Health Reforms Gains Momentum as NUHW Engages Lawmakers

Over fifty members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), including numerous Kaiser Permanente mental health professionals from Southern California, assembled in Sacramento on May 14. The gathering coincided with Mental Health Matters Day, emphasizing the importance of mental health parity in California.

NUHW members engaged with 62 state legislators and their staff to promote two bills designed to enhance mental health care access and equity in the state. Ligia Pacheco, a therapist at Kaiser in Los Angeles, expressed her dedication to the cause by stating, “I feel really proud of the work we’re doing.”

The event also saw recognition from various quarters, with Mental Health America of California Director Heidi Strunk commending the workers for their resolve during the strike. Assemblymember Dr. Jasmeet Bains, author of one of the NUHW-supported bills, praised the workers, saying, “Thank you from this physician, and not just me, but from everyone who has suffered from mental illness.”

The proposed legislation, AB 1429, seeks to streamline reimbursement for Kaiser patients who are forced to seek mental health care outside the network. This measure would stand until Kaiser addresses its mental health service deficiencies, which led to a $200 million penalty in 2023.

Another bill, SB 747, introduced by State Senator Scott Wiener, aims to address pay disparities between behavioral health workers and their counterparts in medical/surgical fields by requiring health plans to report compensation data. This initiative seeks to attract more professionals to the behavioral health sector.

Both bills have advanced to the appropriations committees, where legislators showed interest in the experiences shared by NUHW therapists. State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez acknowledged the challenges faced by patients seeking individualized therapy options.

Jessica Duran, a Los Angeles-based therapist, emphasized the importance of legislative support in reforming Kaiser’s business practices. “It’s really important to me that we continue the fight and have support from legislators,” she remarked, noting the productive dialogue and engagement with lawmakers.