The Pennsylvania State Department of Human Services is demolishing the existing facilities & constructing the brand-new Southeast Psychiatric Treatment Center at Norristown State Hospital. The new 380,000GSF facility is one of only two forensic psychiatric hospitals in Pennsylvania, and plays a vital role in providing services to the eastern sector of the state. The new facility increases patient bed capacity over two phases of design, resulting in a 420-bed building.

Due to the nature of patients being cared for at the Facility, heightened security measures are established to prioritize both staff and patient safety. A state-of-the-art video surveillance system has been incorporated into the building, with cameras in all high-traffic areas and at key entrances & exits. Security staff has visibility of all cameras in both the in-house and remote control rooms. 

The Regional Forensic Psychiatric Center provides care to individuals involved with the county corrections systems needing psychiatric treatment and/or evaluation & competency assessment and restoration in a secure facility. Several evaluation & conference rooms are available for necessary meetings and the facility offers an on-site courtroom for those unfit for travel. The overarching goal for those transferred to the Center is that with the stabilization of symptoms, the patient will return to the judicial system. The step-down unit provides individual treatment focused on enhancing skills that will result in effective discharge planning as permitted through the judicial system.

The new Hospital houses patients in four interconnected buildings that are each 3-stories high. Each patient floor has 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 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.

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. In the common areas, patients have supervised access to quiet rooms, recreation 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.