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New prison hospital a shot-in-the-arm for local economy
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STOCKTON – San Joaquin County representatives weren’t exactly hot on the idea of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation opening up a prison hospital in their backyard. They fear it would pull an extensive array of medical personnel – doctors, nurses, technicians, etc. – away from the programs that the county offers at its French Camp complex and create an even larger demand for positions that are already difficult to fill. And since the hospital, which opened formally late last month, started receiving inmates, some of that has come true.According to San Joaquin County Supervisor Steve Bestolarides, who spoke Monday morning at the monthly Lathrop District Chamber coffee, the county has seen an exodus of psych techs that have taken more lucrative positions at the nearby state hospital.