The Southeast Psychiatric Treatment Center at Norristown State Hospital will create 270 single-occupant beds in Phase 1 to meet the growing demand in eastern Pennsylvania. As one of only two forensic psychiatric hospitals in the state, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services is meeting the growing demand for forensic beds for decades to come. The transformational new facility will be designed to support a total of 420 beds.

Stantec, a global leader in integrated design, was selected to be the prime design firm, providing architectural, interior design, mechanical and electrical engineering, energy modeling, acoustical engineering, LEAN facilitation, and technology services. Stantec has partnered with architecture+, one of the nation’s leading forensic mental health design firms.

The existing campus houses two psychiatric inpatient buildings. Before work commences on the new building, an abandoned hospital building will be demolished. The current forensic hospital will remain operational until the new facility is built, at which time the old facility will be decommissioned.

“We are focused on delivering a secure and stigma-reducing facility that will offer expanded forensic psychiatric treatment for patients from across eastern Pennsylvania,” said Jon Sell, behavioral health planner for Stantec. “Our trauma-informed and dignity-driven design principles exceed modern standards for psychiatric treatment with a goal of reducing patient admission wait times, making a more comforting experience.”

The new forensic facility will be able to provide care to individuals who are involved with the judicial or corrections systems and need psychiatric evaluation or treatment. It will also include a medical unit to address patients’ co-morbidities with behavioral and physical health needs—providing modern standards for forensic psychiatric treatment and reducing the time patients must wait for admission to the hospital. The building will be safe, focus on patient needs, and allow for efficient facility operations.

Stantec draws on global expertise to deliver progressive healthcare environments that improve patient outcomes and attract top care teams. The firm is consistently ranked among the top 10 design firms worldwide by Modern Healthcare, ENR, and Building Design & Construction. Learn more about healthcare design at Stantec.