Kaiser Permanente, Mental Health Workers reach a preliminary agreement

After hitting for nearly half a yearThe Union representing Kaiser Permanent mental health workers in Southern California said earlier this week that it has reached an indicative agreement with the company and expects to vote for the vote for A new employment contract on ThursdayS

But the possible conclusion of a Stopping Record Work Not the only thing on Kaiser’s plate: On Tuesday, the Health Committee held a supervisory hearing Checking the company’s behavioral health serviceswrites Calmatters’ Jocelyn WienerS

The hearing included testimony from Union representatives, legislators and patients who detailed Kaiser’s shortcomings when providing sufficient and timely care. Two years ago, following an investigation by regulators, the company agreed to a historic Dilution of $ 200 million To solve problems with his services, such as delaying patient care.

However, Kaiser was absent at the hearing on Tuesday. Instead, she sent a two -page letter saying she was not present because she believed that “it would not be a productive or balanced discussion.” The letter also states that the company has invested more than $ 1 billion to improve behavioral health care from 2020.

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But even outside Kaiser, the residents of California – especially in rural areas – are fighting to find mental health treatment because of a a lack of licensed mental health specialistsS

Calm Adam Echelman explains, a 2022 Study commissioned by the state It reports that one -third of the Californians live in an area that has insufficient number of suppliers compared to patients.

This is partly because it takes a long time to become a licensed therapist. Along with winning a master’s degree, which takes about two years, students often have to watch for hundreds of hours in unpaid internships to complete. It can take up to six years to do this and start making a regular salary as a therapist.

Separately, turning into a psychologist requires a PhD, and as a psychiatrist to prescribe medication requires a medical degree.

Solano County, for example, which includes agriculture cities, must compete with private hospitals and the counties of nearby mental health areas. The Director of the Department of Behavioral Health of the County said it has nearly 290 positions, but about 20% remain free.

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In a minor victory for democratic legislators who want accelerate public infrastructure and housing projectsA bill that will abandon certain environmental protection to accelerate the expansion of the busy highway in northern California advanced outside the committee last weekCalmatters’ reports Ryan SabalowS

In 2027, construction is expected to start to add more canvases to a section of highway 37 in the corridor of the Napa-synoma Valley. To speed up the $ 500 million project, the Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee of the Assembly voted to pass a measure This would raise the protection of species For the mouse of the harvest of the salt marshmallow and three other protected birds.

The bill critics claim that Adding more sails does not relieve congestion And that the project could be literally under water in 2040 due to an increase in sea level.

About 40,000 motorists tour the highway every day. When the highway shrinks from four sails to one in each direction, the traffic becomes so clogged that it can add up to an hour and a half to a round trip. Public buses also do not run on this highway, as they are unable to plan consistent schedules, according to the author of the bill.

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In progress that some critics say Big Tech bows, a state agency that guarantees confidentiality rights Suggested rules regulating certain uses of artificial intelligencewrites Calmatters’ Harry JohnsonS

The Board of the California Privacy Agency voted last week to review some of its AI project rules, which first began to develop two years ago. After this vote, the rules no longer regulate the behavioral advertising that technology companies use to direct people based on their online activity and personal information.

The agency also limits the scope of the rules so that they simply apply to companies that make “automated decision -making” – or technology that essentially replaces the decision -making for human – cleaning any reference to the term “artificial intelligence”.

With the changes, the agency estimates that it will cost $ 143 million to companies to comply with the first year of application instead of the $ 834 million initially valued.

But the supporters of a more stringent AI regulation say the new rules make it easier for companies to abandon compliance and the agency itself estimates that 90 percent of enterprises is initially required to comply with that they will no longer have to do so.

The public comment on the rules project is open until June 2. Companies must follow the rules by 2027

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Governor Gavin Newsom has signed a legislation that allocates $ 170 million to prevent fire and relieve environmental rules for the rapid tracking of critical projects. Calmatters Alejandro Lazo And the video strategy director Robert Meix has a video segment on how the measure The purpose of thin forests and removal of vegetation As part of our partnership with PBS Socal. Watch it hereS

SocalMatters broadcast at 5:58 pm weekdays Of PBS socalS