Growing Budget Gap Pushes Nurse Staffing Cuts in Fresno County
On Tuesday, the Fresno County Board of Supervisors approved a plan to eliminate 19 staff positions in the county Department of Public Health to help address a budget deficit because of declining state revenue, the Fresno Bee reports.
Eight of the positions are vacant. Department Director Ed Moreno said that positions likely would be found for seven workers and raised the possibility of jobs being found for other workers in other county agencies.
Under the plan, fewer nurses will staff night shifts at the county jail and nurses will spend less time at the juvenile hall during evening hours. The plan also calls for cutting nurse positions at the juvenile hall and reducing staffing at a county health clinic.
County nurses and other medical personnel said the cuts will compromise the health and safety of jail inmates (Ginis, Fresno Bee, 10/21). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.