Healthcare union alleges Kaiser Permanente illegally uses unlicensed clerks to direct mental health care

Kaiser Permanente is facing yet another allegation related to its behavioral health business.

The National Union of Healthcare Workers (NUHW), which represents more than 19,000 healthcare workers in California, filed a complaint on April 8 against the Oakland-based healthcare giant alleging it had illegally replaced licensed therapists with unlicensed clerks and a computer algorithm to direct mental health care.

Kaiser Permanente is currently in a state-mandated two-year corrective action plan following a 2023 investigation that found, among other violations, the system failed to provide timely access to mental health appointments, resulting in a $200 million settlement…

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