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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Carmen de Leon, President of Local 768, on Correctional Health Safety Concerns
4:34:08
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152 sec
Carmen de Leon, President of Local 768, testifies about safety concerns for healthcare employees working at Rikers Island, particularly focusing on underreported workplace violence and assaults on staff. She urges the city council to maintain vigilance as the system transitions to community-based jails.
- Highlights 249 reported assaults in FY2024, but suggests actual numbers are higher due to underreporting
- Expresses concern about inadequate staffing and questions if 3,300 beds will be sufficient in new community-based jails
- Calls for continued diligence from the city council regarding correctional health services
Carmen de Leon
4:34:08
Good afternoon Chair Justin Brannan and Chair Avelis for immigration.
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I am Carmen de Leon.
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I am the president of Local seven sixty eight.
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I represent the New York City Healthcare employees.
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I am also a vice president to the executive board of DC thirty seven.
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I am here today on behalf of my members who work at Correctional Health.
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They are licensed creative arts therapists who provide therapy in group settings, as well as the social workers who work at Rikers Island on behalf of those that are incarcerated, providing anything from mental health therapy to advocacy and negotiations from within the jailhouse itself to the lawyers making connections when they need them.
4:34:56
I am here today because my concern of myself and my members is in regard to the safety while working at Rikers, specifically for correctional health.
4:35:07
Recently, there was a workplace violence committee meeting from H and H with regard to correctional health.
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They reported that there were in fiscal year twenty twenty four, there were 249 assaults varying from a member being spat on to actual physical assaults.
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I am here to say that those are very numbers are very much underrepresented.
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They don't report, and my members in particular I can speak to are encouraged not to report the violence or any physical assaults.
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They have been told, well, you just got punched in the eye, but you don't have a black eye and you'll be able to recover and come back.
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That is an actual story from some
Althea V. Stevens
4:35:51
of my
Carmen de Leon
4:35:51
members, as well as bodily fluids being thrown at those that are employed in correctional health.
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That is usually one of the most prevalent ways of assaulting someone.
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So, as we move forward, I am asking the city council to keep up their diligence in regard to correctional DOHMH I mean, sorry, Department of Correctional as we go to move towards to community based jails.
4:36:22
There is adequate understaffing as it stands right now, and I can't imagine that 300 3,300 beds is gonna be enough to service the incarcerated population as well as provide them adequate services.
4:36:36
Thank you for your time today, and I look forward to next year.
4:36:40
Thank you.