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Q&A
Staffing issues in mental health units
0:11:59
ยท
63 sec
Dr. Stossel addresses the staffing challenges in mental health units within NYC jails, particularly the lack of consistent officer presence.
- She explains that when she left Correctional Health Services in 2023, there were not enough officers on mental health units.
- An escalation program was in place to address understaffing, but the overall shortage made it challenging to maintain adequate staffing levels.
- Dr. Stossel notes that these posts are generally considered desirable due to increased safety and camaraderie, but staffing issues persisted.
Keith Powers
0:11:59
When you say that there's not there was but there's not steady staffing around officers right now.
0:12:05
One, you're talking about having like the consistent same people who are there who understand the challenges in there.
0:12:10
And why is that not happening today?
Dr. Lauren Stossel
0:12:13
When I left CHS in 2023, there were not enough officers on those units.
0:12:21
So, you know, we had sort of an escalation program where if there were two officers or fewer, there's supposed to be three at least, if there were two officers or fewer in any of those units, we would try to escalate and DOC would do their best to scramble and get officers for those units.
0:12:36
But the staffing shortage made it really challenging.
0:12:38
And I think, you know, I do think in many ways those posts are covetable because those units tend to be safer, and there's a real sort of camaraderie and those groups work really well together.
0:12:54
I think my understanding is that it was a staffing issue, but I think certainly something that DOC wanted to work towards.