Health and Welfare

A Proactive Approach to Health Crises

Our national health system is broken. Vice Mayor Harrison has proactively worked for alternatives to the large, institutional actors that dominate the health industry and the use of our police as primary responders in mental health crises. She has put forward a budget request for crisis stabilization services, worked with Mayor Arreguin and Councilmember Bartlett to propose mental health triage workers and advocates for bringing all ambulance services in-house in the Fire Department. 

Response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Vice Mayor Harrison helped respond directly to the COVID-19 pandemic by providing testing and vaccination to all residents and workers in the City, advocated for seniors in long-term care facilities, and made sure her constituents were informed throughout the course of the pandemic. She also spearheaded a program to distribute masks to the unhoused and homeless service providers.

Kate understands that we need to address learning loss as well as the mental health impacts of isolation during the pandemic, particularly among children and teenagers who were unable to receive in-person education and socialization. Kate helped fund four mental health programs for youth. She also worked to make testing and vaccination free and accessible to all Berkeley students, teachers, and staff members.

Keeping Alta Bates in Berkeley

The continuing purchase of non-profit hospitals by ever-larger hospital chains creates a monopoly situation that undermines our community’s health. Vice Mayor Harrison worked with the California Nurses Association to organize the “Save Alta Bates” community forum and serves on the Mayor’s Alta Bates Task Force. She is committed to regularly meeting with CNA to proactively identify and address issues in our community and discuss any actions of the City Council impacting nurses, health care and patient care.