A new report from the Los Angeles Times highlights the potential danger that workers in the mental health care industry in the state of California may face. The Select Committee on State Hospital and Developmental Center Safety recently heard from officials in the industry earlier this week as to the threat posed to workers and other residents by patients with violent tendencies. California runs five mental hospitals, and at Napa State Hospital alone, last year saw 3,000 reports of violence or aggression being filed. This is partially brought on due to the fact that nine in ten patients have ended up there after going through the criminal justice system, with one Assemblyman noting that mental hospitals are basically turning into prisons. One Assemblywoman hopes to pass a bill that would segregate high-risk patients from the rest of the hospital population.
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