Currie
BRENTWOOD — CSEA Pilgrim Psychiatric Center Local member Laura Currie was walking down a hallway at work when she was inappropriately touched by an individual she assists at a state-operated community residence for individuals with mental illness.
The individual who assaulted Currie is a known sexual offender who was transferred to the home where Currie works after assaulting an individual at his former home.
Sadly, these instances are very common, particularly when the individuals have a history of violence and our union members work directly with them. At times, workers at state Office of Mental Health facilities note that they feel as though their worksites are more of a pseudo jail than a place where individuals with mental illness go for help.
Currie noted that the home she works at is in an area known for gang activity.
“It feels like certain individuals are being placed in these [psychiatric]homes because there is no place else to put them,” said Currie.
As they say, idle hands is the devil’s workshop, and Currie has seen that old adage play out at the OMH homes. When they have less to do, some individuals may engage in drug activity or violence near the homes.
Currie described a cycle of individuals entering the OMH home, refusing to take medication, the police taking individuals to the hospital to enforce the medication be taken, the individual is returned to the home, “and the cycle repeats.”
“These homes are supposed to be 90-day housing and we have individuals who have been here for 10 years,” said Currie. “If individuals are refusing to be helped, what are they doing here? That person is taking a bed from someone that might want to become self-sufficient and utilize our services.”
Currie advises members experiencing trauma at their jobs to contact their CSEA union representatives to find out what resources are available to help them deal with the situation.
“We don’t come to work to be groped,” said Currie.
To fix the issue, Currie recommends that more services be offered to individuals, including offering additional counseling or a behavioral specialist to help individuals prone to the sexual assault that she suffered.
“Medication doesn’t solve everything,” said Currie. “Right now, there is nothing being done to change his behaviors.”
She is also thankful for her CSEA family.
“Thank God I work with a great team because if I didn’t, my work life will be far more difficult,” said Currie. “We have learned to divert individuals when we see our colleagues experiencing poor behavior.”
— Wendi Bowie
