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Governor Declares State of Emergency at Mental Health |
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Facilities and equipment in urgent need of repair
February 09, 2009
Governor Felix Camacho and Lieutenant Governor Michael W. Cruz, M.D. have authorized the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse's (DMHSA) request to proceed with the immediate procurement of equipment, supplies, and services for the repair of two of its three air conditioning units, which are completely inoperable.
Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of maintenance and mechanics at DMHSA, and the assistance of staff from the Department of Public Works to repair these air conditioning units, the working environment in parts of DMHSA is such that fails to meet the acceptable levels under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) standards. Moreover, mold and fungus have begun to develop in the air ducts, which require cleaning prior to, or concurrently with, the installation of the new air conditioning generators.
The Governor's emergency declaration also recognizes that an emergency exists relative to DMHSA's Guma' Hinemlo facility. Guma' Hinemlo is a program that serves adults with serious mental illness who are homeless and in need of constant supervision. Despite its location, the home that houses the consumers cannot be responsibly used by DMHSA any further. The home is badly in need of repairs for sanitary, health, and safety issues that have not been fully resolved.
"With this emergency declaration the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse will be able to secure long awaited equipment and services in order to bring its facilities to acceptable conditions for both consumers and employees," said Governor Camacho. "Lieutenant Governor Cruz and I are committed to working with Dr. David Shimizu and his staff to ensure that the environmental care needs of the department, as stipulated in the U.S. District Court's Permanent Injunction requirements, are addressed."
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