Kaiser Permanente opened a new mental health clinic in November that is part of a larger Northern California growth trend.
A new outpatient mental health office that opened in San Jose with an 11,840-square-foot clinic and additional therapists will be followed this year by similar expansions in San Francisco, Oakland, and Modesto that will add about 160 new provider offices for Northern California members.
The San Jose clinic where members can see psychotherapists and psychiatrists is at 2150 North 1st St., steps from Karina Station on the Valley Transportation Authority light rail line and near the 101, 87, and 880 freeways.
It will have offices for 22 psychotherapists and 3 psychiatrists, and 2 group rooms. Each provider office has a calming view of the Santa Clara Valley, said Ori Kochavi, PhD, Kaiser Permanente assistant medical group administrator in Santa Clara.
“We have seen a growing demand for mental health services over the last 7 years,” said Kochavi. “This new site is a living, breathing example of Kaiser Permanente’s commitment to providing the best mental health treatment in the nation.”
The San Jose clinic is part of a larger expansion of mental health services in Northern California. In 2020, 75 new provider offices are scheduled to open at 939 Ellis St. in San Francisco, 32 new offices will open at 1200 Clay St. in Oakland, and 52 new offices will open in Modesto.
The 2020 expansions includes an approximate investment of $480 million that started in 2016 to build 680 new individual therapy rooms and more than 100 new group therapy rooms. And from 2011 through the end of 2020, Kaiser Permanente will have hired over 800 new mental health providers in Northern California, an increase of 82%.
Kaiser Permanente’s work in educating its members to reduce mental health stigma and a younger generation that feels much more comfortable seeking mental health services have helped fuel the demand, Kochavi said.
“The new offices underscore our commitment to total health,” Kochavi said. “When you take care of your mental health, you are taking care of your physical health and vice versa.”
