Union for Solnit youth psychiatric facility calls for lawmakers to invest $23M for additional staff
The union for the Solnit youth psychiatric facility in Middletown is calling for lawmakers to invest $23 million for resources and additional staffing. This comes a little over a month after Solnit workers say staffing shortages led to violent disturbances that left multiple staff members hurt.
During a press conference on Tuesday, the union, SEIU Local 1199, called on lawmakers for a $23 million investment in Solnit’s physical environment, including a $20 million one-time capital investment and $3 million annually.
According to the union, they want the money to help restore and expand staffing, rebuild therapeutic programming and to create three specialized public sector programs to meet the needs of kids needing Solnit. Those programs include one for complex neurobehavioral needs, one for co-occurring psychiatric and intellectual developmental disabilities and one for a transitional public sector group home.
Tuesday’s press conference comes a little over a month after workers told NBC Connecticut Investigates two violent disturbances left multiple staff members hurt. The employees, who are also SEIU 1199 union delegates, said one disturbance happened on June 14 and another happened on June 20.
The union said at this point, more than 66 staff members are out on Workers’ Compensation after being injured caring for the children. Because that many staff members are out, the union said Solnit South is facing a staffing emergency unlike anything experienced before with staff being held to work double overtime shifts every time they report to work an 8-hour shift and units routinely operating below minimum staffing levels.
The state Department of Children and Families previously told NBC Connecticut Investigates that Solnit South’s hospital is now under UConn Health after Solnit’s hospital license was transferred to UConn Health in April. The union said that even though UConn Health now operates their facility, they still answer to DCF.
The Solnit Children’s Center cares for children and adolescents with serious and complex psychiatric needs.
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