Judith Scanlon, RN, was brutally murdered by a client two days before Thanksgiving 1998 while conducting a home visit in her role as an intestive case manager (ICN). ICNs provide services to people with mental illness living in the community. The ICN clientele includes some of the most difficult cases with chronic long term mental illness, problems complying with treatment, criminal justice involvement, and often a history of homelessness, drug abuse and violence. Shortly after her death, Judi's co-workers formed a health and safety committee and developed model policies and programs on conducting joint home visits, keeping track of workers whereabouts, emeregency response, training, patient assessment, and use of communications equipment. The New York State Public Employees Safety & Health Program (PESH) conducted a fatality investigation and issued a general duty violation addressing the safety deficiencies outlined above. Judi's union, the New York State Public Employees Federation, advocated for increased safety for community mental health workers (CMHWs) on several fronts: 1) requesting and participating in the PESH investigation, 2) working with agency management to establish model policies, procure equipment, and training programs, 3)collaborating with legislators to establish Judi's law to codify minimum safety standards for CMHWs; 4)conducting a public campaign to bring attention to the need for increased safety for CMHWs. The model policies and programs established to protect the safety of CMHWs in this case study may have broad implications for commmunity and home care workers nationwide.
Learning Objectives: Participants will learn the circumstances surrounding the death of New York State intesive case manager, Judith Scanlon, who was killed by a client while conducting a home visit. The outcome of an investigation by the NYS Public Employee Safety & Health Program will be reviewed. Initiatives by Judi's co-workers, her union, and the NYS Office of Mental Health to prevent community mental health workers from being assaulted will be outlined. Participants will learn about core strategies for protecting community workers from violence perpetrated by clients
Keywords: Mental Health, Safety
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.