The turnover rate of caregivers is in the range of 110-115 percent per year. Persons convicted of serious crimes will not be hired. Every caregiver is fingerprinted. Abuse and neglect in institutions by caregivers has been a greater problem than criminal history. County mental health departments receive help from the state to evaluate accusations of abuse, and every death is carefully investigated.
Language continues to be a problem.
Corrections and Law Enforcement Transportation of persons in mental crisis from a community setting to a state facility is usually provided by local law enforcement agencies - a time consuming responsibility. There are still many law enforcement personnel who do not understand mental illness. Mental health professionals believe improvement would be possible if jails had programs for mental health workers to meet with mentally ill inmates while they are still in jail to plan for housing, medications and employment. While some jails still have at least a nominal mental health component, most do not. At the state level, the Corrections Department has interest in having a mental health professional available for assessment and counseling, but funding is inadequate.