“The UNAP has worked very closely with the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office for years – especially the last few years as our health care system, hospitals, and health care workers have faced immense challenges,” stated UNAP President Lynn Blais. “We need someone leading this office who is smart, competent, energetic, and willing to boldly tackle the many challenges facing our health care system. Kim Ahern is that candidate and that’s why we have endorsed her in the Democratic Primary for Attorney General.” Blais continued, “The Attorney General’s office plays an important role in many critical health care issues that impact our members. With Prospect CharterCARE going into bankruptcy, we worked closely with the Attorney General to ensure that Fatima Hospital and Roger Williams Medical Center continued operations, our members kept their jobs, and patients didn’t lose these important community hospitals. We are facing other issues as well – a major nursing shortage, short staffing, hospital funding and lagging Medicaid reimbursement rates, mental health and developmental disability funding, mandatory overtime, workplace violence, and the overtaking of local hospitals by for-profit entities that are more concerned about their bottom line than they are about treating workers fairly and providing quality health care. Kim has a deep understanding of these issues, and we trust that she will use the office to protect our health care system, our hospitals, our nurses and health professionals, and the patients who rely on them. We are excited to support her in the Democratic Primary Special Election this September.”