Kaiser Permanente’s Antioch Mental Health Services celebrates 10 years at Hillcrest location
Th building at 3454 Hillcrest Avenue which houses the Antioch location for Kaiser Permanente’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Medicine. Source: Kaiser
By Antonia Ehlers, PR and Media Relations, Kaiser Permanente Northern California
Kaiser Permanente’s Department of Mental Health and Addiction Medicine at their location on Hillcrest in Antioch is currently celebrating its 10th year of service. Mental health services are more important than ever, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’ve definitely noticed an uptick in patients accessing our services,” said Director of Addiction Medicine Curtis Arthur, MFT. “Everybody is dealing with increased stress. People often turn to various substances to deal with that stress. It’s so important to engage in care during this very difficult time.”
It can be scary and intimidating to ask for help. However, Arthur and his team assure people of this: They meet people of all ages where they are, without judgment.
“Treatment for addiction can range from educational therapy to intensive therapy,” Arthur noted. “We know that the disease of addiction affects not only individuals, but also the family members who care about that person. We educate those family members and connect them to others who are affected in the same way.”
During the past year and a half, virtual appointments have significantly increased.
“Virtual care has made things so much more accessible,” Arthur said. “We are offering the latest technology and expertise, so patients can choose how and when they want to access their care.”
One of the key advances in recent years is the ability to diagnose various mental health conditions earlier and more accurately. According to the Director of Mental Health at Kaiser Permanente Antioch, Natasha Quackenbush, Psy.D , the demand for mental health services continues to grow, year after year.
“We’re encouraged that more and more people are reaching out for help, particularly because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” she said. “We’re also seeing more people from various community groups – particularly African American, Asian and Latino communities – reach out for help.”
Every person’s needs are unique and every Kaiser Permanente member who seeks support receives a care plan tailored to their mental and physical needs, drawing on a range of available services. A patient’s individual treatment could include outpatient psychiatric services, individual therapy, group programs, medication management, crisis intervention, intensive outpatient programs, and inpatient psychiatric care.
“It’s wonderful that as a society today, we are making progress to destigmatize mental health issues,” Quackenbush added. “They are, in fact, medical conditions. We don’t judge, because it would be the same as judging someone who has cancer or diabetes. There is hope. Mental health conditions can be treated, and our dedicated clinicians genuinely want to make a difference in our patients’ lives.”
For more information about Kaiser Permanente Mental Health Services, visit www.kp.org/mentalhealth
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Hillcrest Ave. building front
