State Psychiatric Technicians Ask Californians to ‘Support Our Services’ September 30 at Three State Hospital and Developmental Center Rallies

California Association of Psychiatric Technicians:

WHEN:		Wednesday, September 30, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., for Lanterman and Metropolitan;
		11 a.m. – 2 p.m. for Coalinga.

WHERE:		Coalinga State Hospital, Front Entrance, 24511 West Jayne Ave., Coalinga;
		Lanterman Developmental Center, Diamond Bar Entrance, 3530 Pomona Blvd., Pomona;
		Metropolitan State Hospital, Front Entrance, 11401 Bloomfield Ave., Norwalk.

WHO:		Members of the California Association of Psychiatric Technicians.

VISUALS:		Dozens of Psychiatric Technicians and allied state workers expected at each
		facility wearing union T-shirts and waving picket signs.

WHY: The California Association of Psychiatric Technicians is continuing a series of weekly informational pickets at state hospitals, developmental centers and prisons, this time at three locations: Coalinga State Hospital, Lanterman Developmental Center and Metropolitan State Hospital. The events will draw attention to ongoing state budget cuts that are not only hurting employees, but also the vital services Psych Techs provide to Californians in their care.

As licensed and certified level-of-care nursing staff specializing in therapeutic and medical care for people with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses, Psychiatric Technicians’ concerns are threefold:

For clients and patients – Layoffs at Lanterman and Sonoma Developmental Centers last week, continuing hiring freezes and unpaid furloughs throughout the state are impacting Psychiatric Technicians’ ability to provide adequate staffing, which can affect quality of care in 24-hour state facilities.
For staff – As with many Californians, ongoing pay cuts are hurting members’ families as well as efforts
to recruit and retain a quality workforce.
For Californians – Increased mandatory overtime to cover staffing gaps means increased costs
to taxpayers, while unpaid furloughs mean less patronage for local businesses.

CAPT is seeking to lift the state’s hiring freeze at 24-hour facilities, the reduction or elimination of furloughs, and an end to the layoffs of nearly 90 employees. Union counsel filed recently filed a lawsuit outlining how Governor Schwarzenegger’s unpaid furloughs violate several labor laws and orders. The document is available online at www.psychtechs.net.

Members of the public are welcomed and encouraged to show their support by filling out an online petition at www.psychtechs.net. Signatures are being forwarded to decisionmakers during CAPT’s continuing efforts to end harmful staffing reductions and cuts.

The California Association of Psychiatric Technicians is the elected union representative for 7,000 state-employed Psychiatric Technicians and related workers who provide compassionate, professional mental health and developmental services for the Californians in our care. CAPT also is the professional organization for all of California’s 14,000 licensed Psychiatric Technicians.

Send this news item to a friend.

Print This Page