DMH Doctor, a Member of the Union of American Physicians and Dentists, Makes Statement During "At the Tipping Point- A Blueprint for Change"

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Union of American Physicians and Dentists

Aug 24, 2011, 02:11 ET

SACRAMENTO, Calif., Aug. 24, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following testimony was given today by Dr. Laura Dardashti, a staff psychiatrist at DMH Metropolitan State Hospital, as part of today's hearing of the California Assembly Select Committee on State Hospital Safety:

"Cal-OSHA has cited ASH, Napa, and MSH for safety failures. Instead of implementing solutions to the problems or fixing the problems, DMH has chosen to hire outside legal counsel to appeal the citations using taxpayer money. This appeal is neither ethically nor fiscally responsible as these monies could be used to address the problems. Further, while appealing the citation, the hospitals do not have to comply with the abatements. This response results in further delay in addressing the problems, and this is time we don't have.

"DMH states that safety is an important issue to them. However, in appealing the citation, an impression is given that the problems brought forth do not truly exist from DMH's perspective and that our concerns (the concerns of the employees) are not important. In effect, DMH is talking out of both sides of its mouth.

"Lastly, there is a pervasive feeling that if we speak too loudly on the subject of these safety issues, we may face retaliation and in some cases, employees have."

SOURCE Union of American Physicians and Dentists