The union that represents state psychiatrists called upon Gov. Gavin Newsom to rectify the pay disparity between state and contract prison psychiatrists, which supporters say would help retain staff and improve patient outcomes, local news source The Sacramento Bee reported June 7.
According to the Union of American Physicians and Dentists, 48 percent of psychiatry jobs at the state's prisons are unfilled, negatively affecting inmates' mental health and creating a dangerous environment for institution employees.
"Why all these vacancies? Dangerous working conditions, oppressive management, poor compensation and benefits," Stuart Bussey, MD, the president of UAPD, said at the press conference.
The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation told the Bee in an email that the vacancy rate among staff who provide direct psychiatric care is 37 percent, and drops to 9 percent when contract staff are included.
Contract psychiatrists are paid $135 to $325 per hour, whereas state psychiatrists are paid between $178 and $212 per hour, making it hard to retain permanent staff, the Bee reported.
According to union psychiatrists, having consistent, long-term providers has a better effect on patient outcomes compared to rotating contractors.
The union is pushing for a 15 percent wage increase for state psychiatrists for the fiscal year starting July 1, which it believes will lead to better long-term provider retention. This increase would add about $24 million to the current state budget estimate of $300 billion.
State Sen. Bob Hertzberg said at the June 6 press conference that the state's spending on contract psychiatrists is "stupid."
"Our job is to do our job, to protect taxpayers, to protect continuity of care, and here we've got this crisis in mental health that is nothing less than extraordinary," Mr. Hertzberg said.