Pennsylvania plans a 420-bed forensic hospital at Norristown costing $242 million
MONTCO.Today reported in April 2022 that the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services plans a new 420-bed forensic hospital on the grounds of Norristown State Hospital, with a $242 million construction budget. Crews were already demolishing closed buildings on the 225-acre campus and the state was selecting design professionals.
The facility is meant to house court-ordered patients from the criminal justice systems of Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks and Chester counties. DHS's acting secretary said people served by the forensic unit deserve timely, quality care.
The project matters to the competency system because Norristown and Torrance hold the state's only forensic units for defendants found incompetent, and the state has struggled with long jail waits for those beds since the 2015 ACLU class action. The report does not give current wait numbers.
Source: How Norristown State Hospital Plans to Meet Growing Demand for Psychiatric Beds — MONTCO.Today, by Christine Tarlecki
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