The Pennsylvania Department of General Services is demolishing the existing facilities & constructing the brand-new Southeast Forensic Psychiatric Facility at the Norristown State Hospital. The 380,000GSF facility will be one of only two forensic psychiatric hospitals in Pennsylvania, and will play a vital role in providing services to the eastern sector of the state. The new facility will increase patient bed capacity over two phases of design, resulting in a 420-bed building.
Due to the nature of patients that will be cared for at the Facility, heightened security measures were put into place to prioritize both staff and patient safety. A state-of-the-art video surveillance system will be incorporated into the building, with cameras in all high-traffic areas and at key entrances & exits. Additionally, an advanced access control system will be put into place, ensuring patients remain in designated patient areas. Security staff will have visibility of all cameras in both the in-house and remote control rooms.
The new Treatment Center is designed to house patients in four gender-exclusive interconnected buildings that are each 3-stories high. Each patient floor will have a central Care Desk, as well as rooms for group therapy, treatment planning, and visitation. A dining area with a dedicated serving area is also located on each floor, easing patients into the facility and allowing them to establish a routine that fits their needs. Centralized dispensing & dosing areas are located in each housing sector, as well as exam rooms for patients needing further care.
In the common areas, patients will have supervised access to quiet rooms, recreation rooms, sensory friendly rooms, and much more. A full-sized gymnasium and two fitness centers for movement & exercise find a home in Sector Y of the building, alongside an in-hospital salon for patients throughout their stay.
Several specialized exam rooms are located in the medical area of the Facility, including podiatry, dental, family planning, and optometry. Additionally, there is ample space for occupational & physical therapy to be carried out. Music & art therapy rooms are available for patients that need diversified care options, and sensory friendly rooms are available throughout the facility.
The new Southeast Forensic Psychiatric Facility will provide care to individuals who are involved with the judicial or corrections systems and need psychiatric evaluation or treatment. Due to this, several evaluation & conference rooms are available for necessary meetings and the facility also offers an on-site courtroom for those unfit for travel. The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services expects this new facility to not only increase space for patients, but also provide high-quality, dignified care for patients.
