Workers facing assaults and injuries at psychiatric hospital in Annandale hold info picket

More than 30 union members from MAPE, AFSCME and MNA, including some with their families, held an information picket at the Community Behavioral Health Hospital (CBHH) in Annandale last Thursday to highlight the escalating safety crisis there.  

Over the past nine months, employees have endured seven assaults by patients and have had to perform 59 patient restraints. CBHH-Annandale is a 16-bed short-term inpatient psychiatric hospital dedicated to providing compassionate and comprehensive care.  

Currently, high-risk patients from jails and detox centers are being admitted to the hospital. Management has begun increasing the previously agreed upon patient cap of 14 to 16. Staff believe management is maximizing profit at the expense of staff safety. No one should fear for their life just for showing up for work.  

“The picket was important in that it showed solidarity with our AFSCME and MNA siblings and showed our MAPE members this issue is important to us. Since hospital staff were being restricted by management to picket only during specific times, we kept the momentum going for them,” Local 501’s Maureen Dunaway said. She also serves as the Speaker of the Meet and Confer Chairs. 

CBHH-Annandale are asking management for 

• Immediate MAPE, AFSCME and MNA inclusion in the admission process  

• Increased staffing ratios and temporary patient cap 

• Creation of a Designated Safety Coordinator/Counselor  

• Formation of a Safety Committee and 

• Transition to formal Meet and Confer Meetings.