Policymakers debate stiffer penalties for attacks on ED workers

With violence against emergency department workers increasing, policymakers are debating stiffer penalties for perpetrators. Proponents maintain a need for accountability for violent behavior, while opponents say stiffer penalties would be applied disproportionately on patients of color and those with developmental disabilities. An ED’s smells, lights, textures and crowds can overstimulate people with autism, causing them to lash out. Opponents call for de-escalation programs, contending violent patients can already face penalties under assault and battery laws and are unlikely to be deterred by harsher penalties. Supporters of stricter penalties say people with mental health conditions or autism charged with assault in the ED could be eligible for mental health treatment instead of a criminal sentence. (KFF News article, 4/3/24)