The state psychiatric hospitals are essential for the mental health population of NJ. However, certain job positions are not needed in person for the hospital to function during this pandemic. There are too many staff that go home to their families and return to the hospital, exposing patients and staff's family members to this deadly virus.

 Hospital staff should be able to do more to protect the health of the patients. Many residents are medically fragile and the spread of the infection puts patient lives at risk. This also adds to the strain on our local hospitals and medical resources. There is no need for full staffing at this time, we can rotate staff and "flatten the curve". 

Ancora Psychiatric Hospital should have a better system to decrease the number of COVID-19 cases. As per the CDC, the only way to "flatten the curve", is to practice social distancing,  and stay home.

 The job titles that can work from home during this pandemic are Rehabilitation staff; including rehabilitation counselors mental health, vocational rehabilitation counselors, creative arts department, substance abuse department, education department, senior therapy program aids, therapy program aids, recreational therapy aids. And other staff, where job duties are not needed in person at this time. These titles can work from home by doing tele-therapy, meetings etc. OR all or some staff should work on alternative schedules as exhibited with other departments at APH (administrative staff, maintenance personnel etc.)

Ancora Psychiatric hospital should have volunteers of staff to work overtime when HST's or Nurses are short staffed. Having volunteers from every discipline to obtain overtime would increase staff response.  

As of 4/1/20, TPH has their Rehabilitation department on an adjusted work schedule, proving that it is possible to implement, and still have a functioning hospital system.