Many patients face delays in receiving support due to gaps between primary and specialized care. Collaborative programs connect patients with the right professionals faster.

Young and in Crisis is the Register’s occasional series exploring Iowa's youth mental health crisis. The series focuses on the experiences of young Iowans and their families who struggle to access mental and behavioral health services, digs into the factors that create barriers to that care and explores solutions from top state officials.

Therapists and union reps accuse the HMO giant of saddling workers with excessive caseloads while forcing patients to wait twice as long for care.

The union reports that the strike has left thousands of Kaiser patients facing long waits and canceled appointments. Mediation talks could begin as early as February 17.