Kedren Health

Kedren Health was established in October of 1965 in response to the Watts uprising in South Los Angeles earlier that year. After the uprising, 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 healthcare inaccessibility. At that gathering, 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, youth, and adults, regardless of immigration or insurance status. Its health system in South Los Angeles includes an acute psychiatric hospital, an outpatient mental health center, and a patient-focused Federally Qualified Health Center.

In March of 2020, after the COVID-19 pandemic reached Los Angeles, Kedren immediately launched patient testing and treatment services. In late 2020, Kedren began distributing vaccines to thousands of South Los Angeles residents, one of Los Angeles's most deeply impacted communities.