December 15, 2009
Kelso talks about budget, staffing problems in CDCR
Responding to a Bee investigation of severe problems in clinical staffing of state prisons, health care receiver J. Clark Kelso said at a news conference on Monday that budget shortfalls and management lapses underlie staffing pressures at some prisons.
The Bee reported that a costly 24-hour suicide-watch program often relies on highly paid nurses for the uncomplicated task, rather than using assistants who earn far less – and that many prisoners exploit the program by feigning suicidal thoughts. Suicide watch cost the prisons $750,000 in a single month last year.
"Is that a management failure, or a budgeting failure?" Kelso said of the cost. "Probably something in between…"
LINK - SacBee.com
