curated by Emerald Staff
by Meseret Amare
When I heard about a violent patient escaping and injuring 11 of my coworkers, including one who left the facility on a stretcher, I was terrified — but sadly, not surprised. As a mental health tech at a psychiatric hospital in Tukwila, we work with patients going through recovery at all stages — and sometimes, they can be volatile. My employer, Cascade Behavioral Health, rejected our request for trained security staff to help when crises like these arose. We were at risk — and had had enough.
Continue reading OPINION: Behavioral Health Workers Took On a Giant Corporation — and Won Bigby Alexa Peters
Content Warning: This article contains brief mention of suicide.
On the evening of Aug. 1, Eiob Teklie, a mental health technician at Cascade Behavioral Health (Cascade) in Tukwila watched as an unstable male patient stole an employee badge and ran with free rein throughout the multi-wing psychiatric facility, verbally and physically assaulting employees and tormenting patients suffering from acute mental illness.
Continue reading Cascade Behavioral Health Staff Strike Against Unsafe Working Conditions Continuesby Valentina Warner, MD
For the past 20 years, I have worked as a physician at Neighborcare’s Rainier Beach clinic. I went into community health because I wanted to use my education to provide high quality medical care to those in my community, particularly those who are often treated as second class citizens. I wanted to find a place where, when people are facing hard times and medical problems come up, there is an open door for them, regardless of their insurance, immigration status, or financial situation. I came to Neighborcare because it was committed to the same values.
Continue reading OPINION: Neighborcare Union an Inspiring, Positive Change
