Kaiser Permanente
East Bay 2023 Community Health Snapshot

East Bay

Serving communities around our Oakland and Richmond medical facilities.

Building healthier communities

Improving health and equity in the communities we serve is foundational to Kaiser Permanente’s mission. Our charitable contributions are guided by a comprehensive assessment that helps us to identify and address community health needs.

In 2023, Kaiser Permanente provided $5.5 million to support local nonprofits and partners working to build healthier communities in our East Bay service area.

Kids sitting with legs crossed meditating

Strengthening
community mental health

With a rise in demand for mental health services and an ongoing shortage of mental health professionals, we supported programs to expand the pool of qualified, diverse mental health professionals and increase access to community services for young people and vulnerable individuals.

For 25 years, we have supported the East Bay Center for the Performing Arts in Richmond, most recently to increase mental health services for 100 youth through its Young Artist Diploma Program. The program promotes healing through engagement in arts and culture and provides support services and wellness activities including individual and group counseling, yoga, and meditation.

Losing my job was devastating, and our financial situation was uncertain. We are forever in gratitude to the Berkeley Food Network and our community for their assistance during our most vulnerable moments.”
-Christina, a former Berkeley Food Network pantry member

Helping people
meet basic needs

Nutritious food and stable housing are essential to health, but they’re out of reach for many people in our community. We supported organizations that help those with low incomes access healthy food, enroll in benefit programs such as CalFresh, and find safe, affordable housing.

We supported the Berkeley Food Network for the fifth year as it met the increasing need for access to nutritious food in Berkeley, Albany, and Emeryville. Over the last 3 years, it has rapidly grown and improved its food-distribution programs, providing food at no cost to up to 5,000 food-insecure people in convenient places and non-stigmatizing ways.

Improving access
to care

Millions of Californians with low incomes rely on Medi-Cal for critical medical, dental, and mental health services. We supported community partners in keeping eligible residents enrolled. Through grants, training, and technical assistance, we also helped safety-net hospitals and health centers to improve quality and expand access to care for people who need it most.

Street Level Health Project increased health access for up to 1,085 newly arrived immigrant, uninsured, and underinsured individuals in Oakland through its culturally and linguistically inclusive model. Since 2007, we’ve supported the organization as it provides integrated services including health screenings, navigation to address the social determinants of health, and access to food and nutrition education.

Community health priorities

As part of our commitment to improve health and health equity in our community, every 3 years we conduct a rigorous and collaborative community health needs assessment. For 2023, Kaiser Permanente identified the following significant health priorities in our East Bay communities.