A state senator sent the Nebraska governor a letter urging him to address the assaults, equipment needs and mandatory overtime that result in unsafe conditions at the Lincoln Regional Center, according to an Aug. 28 report from Nebraska Examiner.
State Sen. Carol Blood said, "It's getting very dangerous," claiming Gov. Jim Pillen is aware of the state psychiatric hospital's issues but is not implementing change quickly enough, according to the report.
The 250-bed inpatient psychiatric hospital is operated by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, and it provides specialized mental health services to individuals in need and those who are unable to serve time in prison due to a mental illness.
A union representative for the mental health specialists who work there said in the report that the staff needs better training for the potentially violent patients, as the hospital currently operates as a "corrections facility meets hospital."
The staffing shortage of mental health specialists has led to a difficulty in controlling the patients and mandatory overtime shifts. Additionally, there is a limited supply of portable radios used to call for assistance, and a specialist recently had to undergo face surgery after an attack.
While a group of workers have been discussing possibly forming a protest, a spokesperson for the governor said Ms. Blood's letter has been received and "a response will be provided to her officer in due course," according to the report.