| Well come on down, because the Department of Mental Health is desperate for a few good professionals. The state built a fancy, state-of-the-art mental health hospital, but they forgot one thing...where are they going to get staff? You see, this brand-spanking new hospital is in Coalinga. Coalinga you ask? Yes, it's in Fresno County, about 70 miles outside of the city of Fresno and right smack dab between SF and LA. Approximatel 3.5 hours from both, and a couple hours from Bakersfield. It seems, for some reason, mental health professionals aren't flocking to come live in Coalinga.
Jackie Speier, one of my favorite state senators (perhaps b/c she is my senator...), wasn't so impressed with the planning on this one:
"Talk about wasteful spending," said Sen. Jackie Speier, D-Hillsborough, who is closely involved in overseeing prison issues. She called the hospital a fiasco that, in her view, is a perfect symbol of the state's poor planning and poor use of resources. "It is just irresponsible not to use this facility," Speier said.(SF Chron 9/18/06)
You know, I understand the temptation to put these facilities out in the middle of the Central Valley. But you have to consider staffing it! As Rob Cordry would say, "I mean Come On!". Sacramento Geniuses...right Arnold? |
