# data[].attributes.body
Although I really learned a lot about civic engagement this project was a little disheartening. At the end of the day I felt that I really have very very little ability to make positive impact.  I learned the most about different ways we could really solve a lot of mental health issues. Sadly it's unrealistic we would be able to employ a lot of these solutions. I think if Kaiser had third-party mediation, external auditing, an independent review board and more transparency and reporting then a lot more people would have access to mental health care. In the future I for sure want to learn more about ways we can improve the quality of mental health care rather than just increase access to it. I'm really really interested in how popular alternative therapies are becoming. Right now guided psychedelic therapy is being proven to be really really helpful for people caring lots of childhood trauma. Acupuncture therapy has shown to be really really helpful to those who struggle with self harm. Hypnosis, Yoga, meditation, I'm into it all and I want to learn more.

# data[].attributes.headline
I put the QR code to this page on a poster which I then put around Kaiser in Berkeley

# data[].attributes.subject
I put the QR code to this page on a poster which I then put around Kaiser in Berkeley

# data[].attributes.headline
I made a page on my website detailing this issue

# data[].attributes.subject
I made a page on my website detailing this issue

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.jackalope.online/kaiser

# data[].attributes.headline
I sent DMHC a letter entailing improvements I think could be made

# data[].attributes.subject
I sent DMHC a letter entailing improvements I think could be made

# data[].attributes.headline
Kaiser members and victims of poor internal review system

# data[].attributes.subject
Kaiser members and victims of poor internal review system

# data[].attributes.headline
California Department of Managed Health Care (Government body that technically has authority over Kaiser)

# data[].attributes.subject
California Department of Managed Health Care (Government body that technically has authority over Kaiser)

# data[].attributes.body
Increase awareness regarding Kaisers poor internal review system that limits peoples access to mental health care and lacks impartiality/transparency as well as promote accountability by urging members and victims of said system to:

- Speak up
- Consider legal arbitration
- Seek a "Fair Hearing" through the state (as can any Medi-Cal beneficiary)
- Request independent review from either the Department of Managed Health Care or the California Department of Insurance depending on one's plan.

# data[].attributes.body
One root cause of people not being able to access mental health care is Kaiser Permanente's accountability-lacking internal review system. Essentially, Kaiser has the authority to review their own claims and complaints, leading to a lack of impartiality, and transparency.

A recent law, SB 221, went into effect mid 2022, requiring that HMOs and health insurers provide follow-up mental health and substance use disorder therapy appointments within 10 business days - unless the treating therapist determines that a longer wait would not be detrimental. But the issue is that rather than independent healthcare regulatory agencies and accreditation bodies, such as the Joint Commission of the US, determining whether or not a longer wait would be "detrimental" is determined by Kaiser. This means that Kaiser doesn't really have intensive to follow the rules and provide people with the "timely mental health care" that this law is trying to provide.

# data[].attributes.body
I believe mental health care improvements can be divided among three categories:

1. Make mental health care more accessible to those who financially or geographically can't access it, (the issue of inaccessibility.)

2. Get more people with poor mental health who can access mental health care to pursue / seek it out, (the issue of stigmatization.)

3. Improve the actual quality of available mental health care services and promote alternative therapies, (the issue of care quality.)

After conducting further research I  came across the statistic that 8.5% of Californians below the federal poverty line suffer from serious mental illness, while only 1.9% of Californians 300+% over the poverty line suffer from similar illness. This tells me that addressing the issue of inaccessibility, is probably the most important path to take to see direct improvement.

So for my project I will focus on Increasing people's access to local mental health care. The city of Berkeley already offers voluntary mental health care to Homeless people, and people below the poverty line, so I think I will focus on raising awareness regarding systemic blockades covered people face when seeking care.

# data[].attributes.body
For this project, I decided to address mental health care. I chose this topic because mental health dictates everything about how we think, feel and act. Poor mental health itself is the root cause of so much tragedy in America right now and I believe improvements to mental health care will have a direct effect on reducing this tragedy.