Kedren Health

Kedren Health was established in the fall of 1965 in response to the Watts uprising in South L.A. that summer. After the Watts rebellion, 22 Black psychiatrists gathered in the home of Dr. James L. Jones, a child psychiatrist, to discuss the systemic issues of economic disenfranchisement, educational deprivation, and health care inaccessibility. At that meeting, a new mental health organization named Kedren Community Health Center was born.

In the decades since, Kedren has expanded its services beyond mental health programs: From laying the groundwork for Head Start to providing outpatient services and expanding inpatient treatment, Kedren swiftly became a one-stop center for community members. Today, Kedren provides integrated health and behavior services for children and adults, regardless of immigration or insurance status. Its health system in South L.A. includes an acute psychiatric hospital, an outpatient mental health center, and a patient-focused Federally Qualified Health Center.