Due to chronic understaffing, workers at Florida State Hospital, a psychiatric hospital in Chattahoochee, struggle to maintain adequate patient care for the nursing, rehabilitative services and assistance with living needs they provide. AFSCME Florida President and International Vice President Vicki Hall visited the hospital Tuesday, October 25, with state senators Lauren Book and Jason Pizzo to discuss the urgent needs of the patients and workforce there.

Many AFSCME members work in high-stress fields such as public safety, health care, emergency medical services and firefighting. Their jobs have become even more stressful since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many of these workers to put their and their families’ well-being at risk while serving their communities.

But when these everyday heroes face mental health issues as a result of the high-stress environment and duties that expose them to trauma, they are often expected to deal with such challenges on their own.

It’s time to change that.

From left: AFSCME Local 1184 President Phyllis Talley, Alaysia Hackett (Department of Labor), Secretary Marty Walsh, Congresswoman Frederica Wilson in Miami Tuesday, Oct. 18