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October 23: Napa State Hospital Employees Gather to Remember Slain Psychiatric Technician Donna Gross
[October 20, 2014]

October 23: Napa State Hospital Employees Gather to Remember Slain Psychiatric Technician Donna Gross


--(Business Wire)--

Safety Now Coalition:





CONTACT:   Mike Jarschke 707/363-2667 or Brady Oppenheim 916/952-9961.
 
WHAT: Event in remembrance of Donna Gross marking the four-year anniversary of her death.
 
WHERE: Napa State Hospital, 2100 Napa-Vallejo Highway, Napa, Calif.; front entrance.
 
WHEN: Thursday, Oct. 23, 2014; 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.; speakers begin at noon.
 
WHO: Napa State Hospital staff and members of the statewide Safety Now Coalition of employee organizations and concerned members of the community (legislators invited).
Members of the public are welcome to attend.
 
VISUALS: Event participants wearing black in memory of Donna Gross and laying flowers in her honor before her photo; speakers including friends and coworkers.
 
WHY: Four years after Gross' on-grounds murder by a Napa State Hospital patient, safety changes are moving forward at Napa State Hospital and California's four other state forensic mental-health facilities. Through collaborative efforts between dedicated frontline staff, state legislators, Cal/OSHA and the California Department of State Hospitals, new employee personal-distress alarm systems are rolling out, grounds-patrol teams have taken root, hospital-police presence has increased and four key pieces of legislation were signed into law September 28 to address and assist state hospitals' assaultive populations. Nevertheless, violence in state hospitals continues and there is more work to be done. With staff at all California state hospitals asked to wear black October 23 in remembrance, event participants will reaffirm their commitment to work in Donna Gross' name toward a safer environment for everyone living and working in these California state facilities.


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