Under fire, Kaiser Permanente hires hundreds of mental health therapists, with more to come

Kaiser Permanente, criticized by consumers and regulators for failing to adequately staff its mental health clinics, says it has hired roughly 500 therapists in California since early 2011, and plans to recruit 354 additional mental health professionals by year-end. Officials at the Oakland-based health care giant called the moves "part of the organization's ongoing efforts to be the leader in providing high-quality mental health care" and eliminating the stigma connected with seeking care for mental illness. In addition to the multi-year hiring spree, Kaiser plans to spend $115 million "to refresh and remodel" at least 76 mental health clinics statewide, officials said Wednesday.