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Expert: Mass. Mental Health Care Workers, Patients Need More Resources

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Massachusetts public mental health system has been under close examination for almost two years since a mental health worker was murdered, allegedly by a client.

WBUR and the New England Center for Investigative Reporting have been looking into system, and we've found several problems including workers who say they still feel unsafe and clients who say they're not getting the right services. Our investigation also found that workers at a Somerville group home were cited by the state for not reporting a missing patient even though they hadn't seen her for two days. She was eventually found dead in the home after apparently committing suicide.

As we conclude our series, we hear from Dr. Ken Duckworth, medical director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness and former acting commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health.

This program aired on December 20, 2012.

Headshot of Deborah Becker

Deborah Becker Host/Reporter
Deborah Becker is a senior correspondent and host at WBUR. Her reporting focuses on mental health, criminal justice and education.

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