A new survey revealed that many Hawaiʻi behavioral health professionals at Kaiser Permanente believe understaffing in their departments has led to inefficient care.
The National Union of Healthcare Workers conducted the survey, which tracked the results of about 30 health professionals across the islands who are part of the union’s bargaining unit. This comes less than four years after Hawaiʻi mental health therapists went on a 172-day strike in 2023 for better staffing and wages.
Over 80% of survey respondents said inadequate staffing has led to a lack of “appropriate and timely care.” Rachel Kaya, a Kaiser psychologist based on Maui, said that in an ideal world, she would see her patients on a weekly basis.
“Many of the classic treatments for depression or anxiety call for regular, weekly visits with their therapist, but I’m lucky if I can see a patient twice a month, or every two to three weeks, which is nowhere near what is called for under the standardized manual,” Kaya said.
She noted that regular mental health checkups for Maui patients are especially important because many residents are still dealing with PTSD and other impacts from the wildfire nearly three years ago.
Kaya said that many of her colleagues work long hours to try to make up for the lack of staffing, but she added that working too hard and not having enough time to regroup between patients can lead to burnout. Over 60% of participants said they have considered leaving Kaiser because of working conditions.
“All of us come in early, work through lunches, work late, and day after day after week after week of that is what creates burn out and we lose staff,” Kaya said. "Our therapists are the most amazing people who truly to do right by our patients, and that's what keeps us going. But you also have to balance that with not losing yourself in that process."
Union representatives said the survey results have not directly been presented to Kaiser, but Kaya said the concerns expressed in the results have been communicated many times.
The last contract between Kaiser and the union expired Feb. 18, and was then extended until March 18, according to Greg Tegenkamp from NUHW. Since then, the workers have not been under contract, although negotiations for a new contract have been ongoing since Nov. 2025.
In a statement sent to HPR, Kaiser Permanente said they have been working to address the shortage of mental health professionals, and that they are currently bargaining with NUHW to work toward an agreement.
"Kaiser Permanente remains focused on ensuring our members and patients have access to timely, high-quality mental health care," the statement read. "Demand for mental health care has grown significantly since the pandemic and stayed high. We have been working to address the shortage of mental health professionals here in Hawaii. We have made meaningful investments over the last several years to expand mental health access — including growing our clinician workforce, expanding our network of community providers, and increasing capacity to meet patient needs."
"We are actively engaged in bargaining with NUHW and will continue to work in good faith toward an agreement that supports our workforce and meets the needs of our members and community," Kaiser added.
