Monday. Nearly 2,400 Kaiser mental health therapists, social workers, psychiatric nurses and psychologists — represented by National Union of Healthcare Workers — began their strike on Oct. 21 and held their last negotiating session two days later.

Representatives for the Oakland, California-based integrated health system on Jan. 9 will meet with the 2,400 Kaiser therapists, clinicians and other Southern California members of the National Union of Healthcare Workers who have been on strike since Oct. 21, according to a news release issued Monday by the union.

Mental health services are crucial to our well-being. I think that most people will agree with me. As I write, mental health workers employed at Kaiser

Top California Democrats are pressuring Kaiser to make a deal with the union representing Southern California therapists, while patients say they're just holding on.

For the tenth straight week, Kaiser Permanente mental health care workers picketed Southern California medical centers Monday, preparing to take a few days off for the Christmas holiday before returning to their vigil Thursday.

The extraordinary thing about this strike is that it really is a strike for patients and for the public’s health, a strike for mental health care parity, a strike in a time of acute mental healthcare crisis in this country.