Senator Wiener to Hold Hearing on Timely Mental Health Care Access and Impending Kaiser Strike

SAN FRANCISCO – Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco), Chair of the Senate Select Committee on Mental Health and Addiction, will convene an oversight hearing on timely mental healthcare access and SB 221 implementation, as well as the impending Kaiser healthcare worker strike based on lack of compliance with SB 221. SB 221, which requires health plans to provide timely follow-up mental health care for patients, went into effect July 1, 2022. 

Who:

Senator Scott Wiener (San Francisco)

Mary Watanabe, Director, California Department of Managed Health Care

Dr. Sarah Soroken, MFT, Kaiser Triage Therapist 

Jasmin Hakes, Kaiser Patient & Parent

Dr. Brandi Plumely, Kaiser Crisis Response Therapist

Dr. Emily Wood, Chair of the California State Association of Psychiatrists Government Affairs Committee

More TBA

 

When: Wednesday August 10 at 1:30pm

 

Where: Space is limited – Room 2100, 1021 O Street, Sacramento

Hearing will also stream here

Participant phone line: 877-226-8163  Access code: 9979542

 

Full Agenda:

 

Members Attending:

Chair, Senator Wiener

Senator Allen

Senator Bates

Senator Cortese

Senator Eggman

Senator Newman

Senator Nielsen

Senator Pan

 

1.                  Opening Remarks by Senator Wiener

 

2.                  California Department of Managed Health Care

·   Mary Watanabe, Director

 

3.                Mental Health Care Professionals

·   Dr. Sarah Soroken, Kaiser Clinician & NUHW Member 

·   Dr. Brandi Plumely, Kaiser Crisis Response Therapist & NUHW Member

·   Dr. Emily Wood, Chair of the California State Association of Psychiatrists Government Affairs Committee

 

4.                  Patients

·   Jasmin Hakes

·   Heidi Strunk, President and CEO of Mental Health America of California

 

5.                  Member Comments & Questions

 

6.                  Public Comment

·   Participant phone line: 877-226-8163  Access code: 9979542

 

7. Concluding Remarks