Client assaulted a coworker. Is this normal?
Posting anonymously for safety. I work on an IPS supportive employment team for individuals with SPMI at a non profit. We are entirely community based and meet 90% of our clients in their homes. This is my first job in behavioral health and I’m not sure if this is typical. Recently, my coworker was physically assaulted by a client in a client’s home which caused my coworker to take a leave of absence and the rest of the team to be worried about our safety. This client has not been removed from our program and instead was moved to my supervisor’s caseload. My supervisor did not notify the team of the incident and told us not to ask any questions about why my coworker is out. I only know about the situation because I reached out to her prior to this conversation with my boss to see if she was okay. I’ve gone through our intake paperwork and nothing states that assaulting a staff member will result in removal however it does say that assaulting another client is grounds for removal. I’m now concerned that this client will be added to my caseload. Is it typical for a client remain in a program after a situation like this? I’m at a loss because I like my employer but I can’t risk my safety. Per our accreditation, this incident will not be reported to the state since my coworker did not report the incident to the police but I feel like my employer is going to sweep this under the rug.