Client is charged with murder of PEF member Judi Scanlon
Psychiatric Center nurse attacked and killed on the job

IN HAPPIER TIMES - Slain PEF member Judith Scanlon, shown here with family members, was murdered this November during a home visit with a mentally ill client.

By DENYCE DUNCAN LACY

Judi Scanlon enters the two-story wood frame house on West Ferry Street in Buffalo.

For the Buffalo Psychiatric Center nurse and intensive case manager (ICM), this is the second home visit of the day to one of her mentally ill clients, Diane Wylie. It's also the last home visit Scanlon ever makes.

According to police, during this visit two days before Thanksgiving Scanlon is repeatedly struck in the head and the face with a blunt object-blows which soon prove fatal.

Police say Scanlon was killed by her client.

Her family, friends and co-workers say she was killed by her job.

"The morning she was killed she talked to me about her concerns about safety," said Paul Shea, Council Leader for PEF members at the Buffalo Psychiatric Center. "She questioned why ICM's should have to go to clients' homes alone."
Shea said Scanlon had good reason to question the wisdom of mental-health staff making unaccompanied visits to their clients' homes.

"The job has become much more dangerous because clients have more chronic and serious mental illness and often also have substance-abuse problems," Shea said. "Under those circumstances, the potential for violence has increased."

Rigid state policies to blame

Shea and other union leaders reacted with shock and outrage over Scanlon's death in the line of duty.

They place the biggest blame for the increasing risk of violence facing workers serving mentally ill outpatients on the state Office of mental-health, for rigidly adhering to its Five-Year plan to discharge from state psychiatric hospitals as many patients as possible, leaving them to the care of less-expensive non-profit agencies in the community.

As the inpatient population decreases, staff is downsized, leaving remaining workers with heavier caseloads of more seriously ill patients.

"We have repeatedly warned the state about the growing violence against our members working with the mentally ill and advised them to hire more professionals to treat and deal with today's patients," said PEF president Roger Benson.
'The decision must be made whether we want to keep dealing with tragedies such as this or face reality and adequately provide for mental-health care."

And Benson immediately demanded the state direct its mental-health-outpatient staff to work in pairs, just as police officers are required to work in pairs because of the dangers inherent in their jobs (See related story link)

Many of Judi's colleagues are still in shock over her murder.

"It's not in the forefront of your mind that you're going to work and you could get killed," said one of Scanlon's co-workers who asked not to be identified. "I guess your mind tries to protect you, and instead you think, 'My clients would never hurt me.'"

"The truth is, it could happen to any of us, any day. I don't want to stigmatize my clients, but you're never really safe with them because they are ill.

"I absolutely blame the state for Judi's death. All ICMs should work in pairs all day long so they can protect each other."
A loving, loyal worker

HONORING JUDI- Lapel buttons worn by PEF members during the statewide candlelight vigil.

Scanlon's family said she loved her work and loved helping people, even though she recognized the growing danger in the job.

"She used to talk to me about the dangers of the job, but I would get upset and worried for her, so she stopped telling me about it," said Scanlon's husband John. "She had been attacked by another patient with a knife last summer. She didn't get hurt but the police officer who came to the scene was stabbed.

"Despite that, she went to work every day because she believed she was making a difference. There was never anyone more loyal or dedicated to her job than Judi."

Scanlon's two oldest daughters feel the state owed their mother that same loyalty.

"I feel the state took my mother away from me because they didn't protect her," said 25 year old Kerri Knapik.
"We're so angry," agreed Kelly Scanlon.

"Something should have been done a long time ago to protect workers like my mother. They should require these workers to visit the homes in pairs, like police officers," Kelly added.

"And there has to be a complete re-evaluation of the standards for releasing patients from psychiatric facilities."

"What criteria are they using to determine who is safe to release?"

Give to union trust fund

PEF has established an educational trust fund to benefit Sheena Scanlon, the 8-year-old daughter of murdered PEF member Judith Scanlon. Contributions to the trust fund should be made out to Sheena Scanlon and be sent to:

Sheena Scanlon Trust Fund
c/o Tracy Chicone
Fleet Bank,
633 Delaware Ave.
Buffalo, NY 14202.

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