Dr. Stuart Bussey, M.D., J.D., UAPD president, Doug Chiappetta, M.A., Executive Director, UAPD representatives, and UAPD members, on-site psychiatrists who work at the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation facilities, met with Assemblymember Dr. Joaquin Arambula. Assemblymember Arambula is the Chair of Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Health and Human Services.
The UAPD and our members discussed with Arambula the statewide vacancy rates affecting all BU16 members. We asked for Arambula’s support in advocating for pay parity to fill the open positions with the hiring of doctors in-house as opposed to contracting out the positions.
With the cited deficit of $31.5 billion in the May revise of the State budget, replacing contractors and hiring doctors as employees would save the State and California taxpayers $500 million.