Our motto is, ‘Everybody walks to the door gets help,’ but we can only do that if we can keep the doors open.
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KBAK/FOX58) — During Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting, several disappointed clients spoke about their concerns about how insurance coverage is being discontinued at Cornerstone Center in Tehachapi.
The Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services stopped offering coverage back in July since they’re an out-of-network center, causing many Cornerstone clients to go elsewhere for services since their insurance won’t be eligible at that location.
“For the last year, we have attempted to work with the county, we’ve been able to make some inroads, but because of the minimum network adequacy requirements, people can wait up to 60 to 90 days to get treatment,” said Joshua Pierce with the Cornerstone Center for Counseling and Discipleship.
Other clients who went months, even years in of being sober and clean, are hoping to make a difference by speaking out to decision-makers to amplify a call for accountability.
“Eight years ago, July 27th, I got sober, with the help of foundations such as Cornerstone,” saidNathaniel Harbison, a former client.
“I have been clean and sober for 20 months now, I drove three hours to be here today because it breaks my heart to see the people who have changed my life in every aspect struggle to help the struggling,” said another former client, Sarah Prescott.
John Logan was a survivor of more than 25 years of intravenous methamphetamine addiction and 14 years of homelessness.
He was one of the many clients who were told to change service locations due to being ineligible.
“I’ve been in recovery since March of 2023, early on I had to make a move from private insurance to Medi-Cal due to my inability to work,” said Logan.
“Even in the phase of stress created by having to pay out of pocket while fighting cancer, Cornerstone’s number one stock and trade remained compassion, they stood by me and have stood by me through tragedies, struggles with housing, lack of money, and obviously severe health problems.”
According to Cornerstone, a meeting was held on Monday with Kern Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, which they said, was a significant step forward.
They said they managed to clarify and resolve most of the discrepancies regarding service.
