Safety Violations Found After Attacks At Independence Mental Health Institute

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Regulators have recommended a nearly $73,000 fine against the Iowa Department of Human Services after finding serious workplace safety violations at a state-run psychiatric hospital where several employees have been assaulted by combative patients.Staffers at the Independence Mental Health Institute struggle to manage violent outbursts due to inadequate emergency response plans, low staffing levels, poor communication and ineffective safety shields that they’re not trained to use, according to an inspection conducted by the Iowa Occupational Safety and Health Administration.The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 61, a union that represents hospital employees, said the institute faced an urgent “safety crisis” after employees were injured in at least four incidents over nine days in June, and filed a complaint that triggered the investigation.The DHS-run hospital in Independence, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of Cedar Rapids, treats patients with severe and complex psychiatric needs.