outreachFEBRUARY / MARCH 2013 California Association of Psychiatric Technicians Here Comes Stockton! Volume 26, Issue 1 February / March 2013 Brady Oppenheim, Editor Carol Wiesmann, Managing Editor Reminders and Layout Designer IMPORTANT INFO CAPT is represented by & Murch, Bassoff & Associates, Inc. HAVE YOU MOVED? Imagesetting and Printing by YOU MUST TELL THE BVNPT WITHIN 30 DAYS! CPS Publications and Mail Services You have a lot of things to do when you move. But one thing that needs to go at the top of Sacramento, CA your list is notifying your licensing or certifying agency! If you’re moving, write to the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians if you’re a Psych Tech, or to the California Department of Public Health if you’re a Psychiatric Technician Assistant with a Outreach is the official publication of CNA certificate, to notify them of your new address. The BVNPT requires that all changes the California Association of Psychiatric of address must be submitted in writing within 30 days of a move, so use this handy Technicians and is printed at least six times form from the Board’s website to make sure your information is current: each year. www.bvnpt.ca.gov/pdf/55p-4.pdf . Having your current address on file is absolutely key if the BVNPT or the CDPH needs to send you time-sensitive information about your license Outreach is published by: or certificate. And don’t forget to tell CAPT too! CAPT Headquarters 1220 ‘S’ Street, Ste 100 Sacramento, CA 95811-7138. ‘HOW DO I GET A REPLACEMENT PT LICENSE?’ Phone: Toll Free (800) 677-CAPT (2278) or locally at (916) 329-9140 How do you get a new one? Simple: Download an “Application for Replacement PT License” from the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians’ website and mail it in CAPT is a non-profit corporation serving as promptly with the appropriate payment. Keep a copy of the form for your records. As with the exclusive representative of all employees licensure renewals sent via mail to the BVNPT, CAPT recommends sending replacement in Psychiatric Technician Bargaining Unit 18 license applications to the BVNPT via U.S. Postal Service certified (green signature card) in California State Civil Service. mail directly to the licensing board. The certified-mail process requires the board staff to sign for and immediately process your paperwork. Here’s something to remember: Even if you’ve lost your license card, you are still licensed by the state for all intents and pur- CAPT is also the professional association for poses. The BVNPT’s online database of licensed Psych Techs will still show you as “clear” all California Psychiatric Technicians. if all of your licensure materials and renewals are otherwise up to date. How to reach us ... LICENSE-RENEWAL QUESTIONS? CALL THE BVNPT’S DIRECT PT LINE! CAPT Sacramento Headquarters Toll Free (800) 677-CAPT (2278) If you have any questions about your Psych Tech license, contact the or (916) 329-9140 BVNPT’s Psychiatric Technician Licensure Unit using their direct-line (916) 329-9145 (Fax) number: (916) 263-7830. The other number listed in their many mailed documents only lists the Board’s generic phone number. Keep this direct-line number handy for Toll-Free Voice Mail: (800) 926-CAPT (2278) any licensure questions. This number includes voice mail for the State President, all CAPT Chapters and the Corrections Chapter Consultant. Below are their individual numbers and instructions for leaving Planning to retire soon? a message. Instructions on how to leave a message will also be available when you call. Don’t forget that CAPT offers its retired State of California members the same insurance benefits it provides its active members. As a retired member, CAPT will continue to provide -- $5,000 in Accidental Death and Dismemberment coverage 2# Tony Myers 7# Fairview 12# Sonoma and $5,000 in Term Life Insurance -- without any age term. 3# Ann Lyles 8# Lanterman 14# Coalinga 4# Corrections 9# Metropolitan 15# Community IMPORTANT: For your insurance to continue after your retirement -- 5# Atascadero 10# Patton Facilities for only $5 per month -- you must contact CAPT Headquarters at (800) 6# Napa 11# Porterville 677-2278 within 31 days of the last day in the month in which you retired. If you fail to do so, your policy will lapse and cannot be reinstated. us at: twitter.com/psychtechs psychtechs.net Check out our catastrophic leave list on our website. Keep abreast of what’s and follow some of our chapters on happening! CAPT updates its website frequently, making sure you have current information on state, department, and CAPT news, at your facility and statewide. 2 - FEBRUARY / MARCH STATE OFFICERS State President Tony Myers 3431 Pomona Blvd., Ste C, Pomona, CA 91768 (800) 926-CAPT (2278) / [email protected] State Vice President Juan Nolasco (see Coalinga listing) State Secretary-Treasurer Paul Alizaga (see Fairview listing) CHAPTER PRESIDENTS Atascadero: Paul Hannula PO Box 757, Atascadero, CA 93423-0757 (805) 235-7832 (Cell) / (805) 468-2493 (Office) (805) 861-2390 (Fax) [email protected] Coalinga: Juan Nolasco 578 E. Elm St., Coalinga CA 93210 Mail to: PO Box 933, Coalinga, CA 93210-0933 (559) 217-6312 (Cell) / (559) 934-0247 (Fax) [email protected] Community Facilities: Royce Edgington Mail to: 82-204 Highway 111, Ste C #106 Indio CA 92201 (760-396-8482 [email protected] Corrections: Jennifer Are Mail to: c/o CAPT Headquarters Index 1220 S St., Ste 100, Sacramento CA 95811-7138 Chapter contacts: ON THE COVER: Jennifer Are: (559) 970-2283 (Cell) HERE COMES STOCKTON! July 22 will be the day when [email protected] the first patient arrives for treatment at this new state-of- Consultant Ann Lyles: (909) 263-6269 (Cell) or the-art facility, which also offers new opportunities for our (916) 329-9147 (Office) / (800) 395-2278 profession to shine. Cover and magazine photos [email protected] courtesy of CDCR and URS. Fairview: Paul Alizaga Office in Employee Org. Rm 4 The President’s View: Our work is never done PO Box 2796, Costa Mesa, CA 92628-2796 (714) 957-5332 (Office) / (714) 754-1065 (Fax) 4 BU 18 members: Use those PDD days! [email protected] 5 Want to be a state-employed Psych Tech? Lanterman: Brad Whitehead 6-7 CAPT heads back to the bargaining table 3431 Pomona Blvd., Ste C, Pomona, CA 91768-3294 7 Contract Highlights: OT payment issue CAPT Board of Directors (909) 595-1085 (Office) / (909) 598-1387 (Fax) [email protected] 8 CAPT continues efforts for safety in state hospitals Metropolitan: Eric Soto 9 Around our state prisons: staffing changes Metropolitan State Hospital, 11401 Bloomfield Ave., Norwalk, CA 9 Who’s your insurance beneficiary? Mail to: PO Box 59569, Norwalk, CA 90652-0569 10-11 (714) 329-7425 (Cell) / (562) 286-8007 (Fax) VOR calls on congress for choice [email protected] 11 Can Psych Techs perform fingersticks? Napa: Linda Monahan 12-13 Here comes Stockton! Check out California’s PO Box 10906, Napa, CA 94581-2906 newest “state hospital” (707) 252-7320 (Office) / (707) 736-7022 (Fax) (707) 266-4545 (Cell) 14 License and certification news [email protected] 15-16 NSH’s Richard Dias compares his Psych Tech Patton: Mark Cruz experiences of California and Colorado Patton State Hospital, House #6 16 Steward Spotlight on MSH’s Don Magner Mail to: PO Box 680, Patton, CA 92369-0680 17 Be like Don - be a steward! (909) 864-1610 (Office) / (909) 864-1695 (Fax) [email protected] 17 Corrections Chapter holds membership Porterville: Mike Simental appreciation events 376 North D Street 18 Want higher pay and retirement? Change ranges! Mail to: PO Box 8703, Porterville, CA 93258-8703 19 CalPERS updates (559) 781-2278 (Office) / (559) 781-4440 (Fax) [email protected] 20 Under our scope: Gerontological nursing Sonoma: Megan Gordon 21 Know the ABC’s of FMLA 15175 Arnold Dr., Sonoma 22 Studies, research & more Mail to: PO Box 148, Eldridge, CA 95431-0148 (707) 934-5881 (Cell) 23 Catastrophic Leave donations (707) 938-2795 (Office) / (707) 938-8721 (Fax) 23 Numbers of Note [email protected] FEBRUARY / MARCH - 3 OUR WORK IS NEVER DONE I just came back from a those in our care. DSH’s commitment to change and meeting with California Depart- improving safety and working conditions for staff and ment of State Hospitals heads, patients gives me hope for a better future for the job we who shared how they are love. It may not go as quickly as all would wish, and we working with employees at all may uncover further issues along the way, but we have a levels in order to improve plan toward the future, we have a voice in the process safety for everyone working and we are part of an accountable team committed to and residing in these unique and urgently needed making change happen. public-safety facilities. CAPT’s past Porterville Chapter President and The department’s new heads and administrators decades-proud Psych Tech Ed Vartanian wrote in a are bound and determined to create real change in a thank-you note to CAPT Headquarters after his retire- too-long-ignored department whose years of neglect – ment that “our work is never done.” Never were truer despite our best efforts – eventually cost the life of one words spoken: In our professional lives of helping pa- of our own Napa Psychiatric Technician Donna Gross. tients and clients reach that next goal -- and then the next and next – through the continuous cycle of the Many changes have been implemented in the nursing process, and in our lives as union and PT department since Donna’s death.