Iowa union blasts mental health institute management

DES MOINES, Iowa -- The president of Iowa's largest public employees labor union says management incompetence has caused the assault of four staffers by patients at the Independence Mental health Institute in the span of nine days this month

AFSCME Council 61 President Danny Homan tells WHO Radio News says open positions are being left vacant by the Department of Human Services.

"Why I know is that is virtually every day they're mandating overtime for employees to work"

Homan also says DHS staffers in Independence aren't being effectively trained.

In response, DHS says it's not keeping positions vacant--that the Independence facility is constantly recruiting and hiring. It also says staffers go through extensive training in treating people with serious needs no one else is willing to serve


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