In summer 2025, staff and advanced trainees in the KP Mental Health Training Program collaborated on a rich, seven‑week early training experience, providing a full-time KP Launch Summer Internship for 16 high school and three college students across three MHTP hubs.
KP Launch introduces underrepresented and low‑income students to health care careers, helping them build real‑world skills and workplace readiness. Within the Mental Health Training Program, interns also learned tools to combat mental health stigma, promote wellness in their communities, and explore pathways into mental health professions—an area of urgent need in California.
MHTP staff and trainees created 40 hours of weekly programming tailored to the sensitive nature of mental health care. Interns—most of them minors—observed patient treatment (live, remote, or recorded), attended seminars and group supervision, and learned about psychology, psychiatric care, and mental wellness from clinical supervisors, advanced trainees, and KP providers across the region. They also completed clinic‑support projects. High school interns enjoyed a “KPL MHTP Fun Day” at Six Flags in Vallejo, and all interns delivered strong final presentations on clinically relevant topics.
These young people impressed us with their curiosity, insight, and maturity, and we eagerly look forward to seeing many return as advanced trainees—and eventually as staff.
This program was made possible by the dedication of the MHTP community. Key contributions came from On‑Site Coordinators Dr. Gerald Gonzalez (Milpitas), Dr. Grayson Lewis (Lathrup), and Dr. Matthew Holland (Vallejo). Our five JEDI Training Liaisons—Julia Gordillo, Sasha Zients, Sumra Afzal, Anthony Lucas, and Alexander Garcia—provided crucial support. Many MHTP and KPCC supervisors offered weekly guidance, including Colleen McAdams, Dr. Chinue Brown, Jenni Carlsen, Dr. Joanne Lam, Dr. Jennifer Thom, Dr. Ren Hong, and Adam Harrison. Thirty advanced trainees served as mentors, shared their career stories, and provided live or recorded treatment sessions with one‑hour debriefs. This work was further supported by the exceptional administrative leadership of Angela Payton.
The KP Launch Internship allows MHTP to extend our training mission to talented young people at a pivotal moment in their career development. We were grateful to partner with KP Launch again last summer. MHTP will pause participation this year but looks forward to continuing this valuable partnership in the future. KP Launch – Diversifying the Future of Health Care (kaiserpermanente.org)
Contributed by: Dr. Aubyn Fulton
