Warren State Hospital

Warren State Hospital is dedicated to providing the best opportunity for recovery to persons admitted for treatment. Furthermore, we realize the importance of families or significant others in our patients' responses to treatment, as well as their important role in the person's support system. Therefore, with the patient's permission, the hospital makes every effort to include families in treatment and discharge planning activities. This commitment to quality psychiatric care and family involvement in treatment is reflected in our mission statement.

We also know the importance of continuity of care in insuring the shortest stay possible and the continuation of needed care and support after discharge from the hospital. Discharge planning even begins before the patient's admission and continues throughout their hospitalization, ending with an individualized aftercare plan that guides the person's return to community living. This comprehensive aftercare plan ensures the identification of needed services and supports after discharge. It also designates who is responsible for providing each service. This aftercare plan is then monitored by the county MH program and modified or revised as needed to facilitate the person's long-term adjustment to community living.

In providing care, Warren State Hospital is just one component in a continuum of comprehensive care that is available to residents of northwestern Pennsylvania with persistent and serious mental illness. Our responsibility to people who need our services and support is to provide the most current and effective inpatient treatment interventions and psycho-rehabilitation activities that will promote recovery. Community services for persons with serious mental illness have improved steadily over the past decade and as a result fewer and fewer persons need our level of care, which is certainly gratifying. However, should anyone need longer-term inpatient care, the staff of Warren State Hospital and I want to assure you that we will provide the best care possible and work as hard as we can to return you as quickly as possible to your family, to your community and to a productive life that is satisfying to you.

Patients admitted to Warren State Hospital must come directly from an in-patient hospitalization at a community hospital. Admission referrals from the general public are not accepted. If the treating physician at the community hospital determines that the patient requires longer-term psychiatric treatment, a referral is initiated by the community hospital with the approval of the appropriate county mental health program.

Referrals are accepted from the following counties: Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Venango and Warren.

Chief Admission's Officer: Pam Shaffer, Director Social Services
Admission Coordinator: Martha Christensen, 814 726-4415
Alternate Admission Coordinator: Ron Osche, 814 584-1080

The Admissions Office is located in Room 118, Center Building. The address for the Admissions Office is:

Social Service Department
Warren State Hospital
33 Main Drive
North Warren, PA 16365
Attention: Admission Officer

Social Work staff is available weekdays. The Admissions Coordinator can be reached by calling 814-726-4415 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. to answer questions about admission procedures.

Visiting hours are normally 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. It is appreciated if visitors do not arrive during patient meal periods, which are between 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. - 6 p.m. We encourage you to visit your relative within the following guidelines:

A phone is available on every ward for patient use where local calls are without charge. All patients must assume responsibility for any long distance charges. Patients are not permitted to make or receive calls on ward phones between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. In case of emergency families must phone the ward office. Neither beepers nor pagers are permitted.

In providing quality care to patients, Warren State Hospital is committed to protecting the rights of our patients. In fact, protection of rights is one of our strongest organizational values. We want all patients to be treated with dignity and respect. We want our patients to know their rights and to have both informal and formal means to express their complaints and grievances with the hospital. We want to be responsive and sensitive to patient complaints. In fulfilling this commitment to protection of rights, we have committed resources, instituted proactive measures and implemented numerous safeguards.

Furthermore, the Patient Bill of Rights, as outlined in the Title 55 of the Pennsylvania Code, is posted on each ward, along with information on how to contact the Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania and the Bureau of Equal Opportunity. These agencies also provide oversight of our rights protection program and have the capabilities to conduct independent investigations of complaints filed by patients or their families. In addition to providing each patient with a copy of their rights, the CRR meets with patients shortly after their admission to educate them on their rights, to explain the grievance/complaint process and to answer any questions they may have regarding their rights. Throughout their hospitalization, patients have immediate access to the CRR. The CRR is also available to assist families with any concerns or complaints they may have regarding the care and treatment of their relative. The CRR provides direct assistance to patients in resolving complaints and follows-up as needed to insure the matter has been resolved to the patient's or family's satisfaction.

Currently, Warren State Hospital offers a wide variety of treatment, rehabilitation and education programs to patients on the hospital's treatment areas: General Population [North Center and South Center], the Forensic Center and the Special Care Unit. Patient programs and services are designed to meet identified needs among the patient population and to directly contribute to fulfilling Warren State Hospital's mission and broad goals of providing all patients with the highest quality programs and services that promote recovery and return to community living as quickly as possible.

The numerous programs and treatment services available to patients that promote recovery from serious mental illness are divided into four broad categories. These are: treatment services, psychosocial and vocational rehabilitation programs, educational programs and social/recreational programs. With the exception of some social-recreational activities, all programs provided to patients are integrated into their individualized, comprehensive treatment plans. Therapeutic, educational and rehabilitative programs most often provide the means by which patients achieve specific short- term and long-term treatment goals that will enable them to return to the most appropriate community care setting.

These are services that are directed at alleviation of the positive symptoms of serious mental illness. These symptoms can include: perceptual disturbances, thought disturbances and/or disturbances of mood or affect. Treatment services are also directed at reduction of negative symptoms such as lack of motivation, neglect of self, poor social skill and/or withdrawal from family and friends. The most important of all treatment programs for persons with serious mental illness is psychopharmacology or the prescribing of medications that directly target both the positive and negative symptoms of serious mental illness. The patient's psychiatrist prescribes and monitors the effects and outcomes of medications. In most cases, individuals respond positively to their medications, which opens the door to recovery and rehabilitation and return to community living.

Numerous other treatment programs are provided by clinical staff and are based upon the individual needs of patients. Some of these include: individual psychotherapy, group therapy, cognitive remediation, behavioral development programs such as anger management, stress management and coping skills development. In addition, the hospital has implemented clinical pathways for Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Metabolic Syndrome: Prevention and Management, PennMAPS and persons with a diagnosis of depression.

For patients who have experienced difficulties with substance abuse, the hospital, through its certified addictions counselor, offers drug and alcohol treatment that utilizes an educational approach to help participants acquire the skills and knowledge needed to prevent relapse.

Warren State Hospital provides numerous rehabilitation programs that promote recovery and assist persons in returning to their communities as quickly as possible with the skills needed for the most independent functioning possible. Many of the psychosocial rehabilitation and educational programs for patients are offered through the hospital's Recovery Center. The Recovery Center is a centralized program area where patients can attend classes and programs prescribed by their individualized treatment plan to meet their current needs. Examples of programs available on the Recovery Center are: Stress Management, Emotional Regulation and Drug and Alcohol Coping Skills. Other topics include current events, effective problem solving skills, mental health awareness, self-awareness and numerous other programs that assist persons in becoming more independent and improving their self-care and self-direction.

In addition, the Warren State Hospital provides basic work adjustment through its Sheltered Employment Program. The employment center provides patients with a work experience that is quite similar to that found in production-based competitive employment situations. Individuals participating in this program undergo a basic work adjustment and work skill evaluation that serves as the basis for the establishment of work skill and work habit development. Workers are paid on a piece rate or hourly basis for their work. A Job Recovery Program gives patients the opportunity to work in areas of interest around the hospital; including the library, canteen, garage, dietary and custodial.

Patients have access to a wide variety of Therapeutic Recreation programs that are directed at meeting patients' needs for increases in social interaction, group interaction skills, recreational interests/skills and social skills. The Therapeutic Recreation Department's music therapist also provides individualized music therapy and the department's art therapist conducts individual and group art therapy.

The Special Care Unit treats patients whose conditions are complicated by the aging process, posttraumatic brain injury or other serious neurological impairments. Patients on this treatment unit not only receive active psychiatric treatment services, but are also provided highly specialized programs and services directed at building sensory and motor functions that are impaired due to the aging process, brain trauma or other serious neurological conditions. These specialized programs include sensory skill development, re-motivation therapy, pet therapy, managing life changes, speech and language development, reality orientation, physical therapy and exercise/range of motion training, current events and arts and crafts.

Speech, Hearing and Language (SHL) services are available for patients who are identified as having significant impairment in language skills or who have hearing impairments that impede daily functioning. SHL services provide persons in need with individual and group programs and therapy that will enable them to improve their basic communication skills, thereby, improving their social adjustment and self-management.

To assist persons with recovery from serious mental illness, the hospital provides patients with many educational programs to increase their level of basic knowledge and information needed for self-management after discharge from the hospital. These programs include: Symptom Management, Medication Education, Solutions for Wellness, Nutrition Education and Activities of Daily Living. In addition, the hospital provides patients with an Adult Basic Education program. In this program, patients not only engage in remedial education according to their assessed needs, but also are given the opportunity to learn basic computer skills. The Intermediate Unit provides educational services to patients between the ages of 18 and 21 who have not achieved a high school diploma in order to provide educational enrichment.

Since patient's lengths of stay at Warren State Hospital typically approach several weeks, the hospital provides numerous social and recreational activities. These not only provide patients with wholesome activities, but also opportunities to develop recreational interests that have carry-over value and to improve their physical fitness. Patients can obtain a fishing license and can go on fishing trips off campus. The hospital maintains four bowling alleys specifically for patient use. There are numerous parties, picnics and dances for patients, as well as frequent trips to various recreational areas and activities near the hospital. To promote wellness, patients can join the Walking Club where they can earn points to buy tee shirts, jackets and hats that recognize them for achieving certain distance milestones. Examples of other social-recreational programs are: weight training, arts and crafts, Tai Chi, sing-a-long/karaoke, various team sports, bocce and movies.

In addition to the four categories of programs provided to patients, all patients have the right to worship and practice their religious beliefs at the hospital. Chaplains from the Protestant and Catholic faiths and a Jewish Rabbi are available to assist patients in practicing their respective religions. In addition, patients have ready-access to pastoral counseling. For patients whose faith/religion is outside the traditional denominations, the hospital's Culturally Appropriate Treatment and Services Committee works with the individual and his or her treatment team to insure that the person's religious needs are met.

Warren State Hospital also respects the cultural diversity, heritages and beliefs of all patients. This requires that our staff identify with patients the cultural influences, needs, norms and beliefs that are important to them and to assist them in whatever way possible in conforming to these throughout their hospitalization. This means that patients must be given the opportunity and support needed to adhere to their cultural beliefs. It also means that treatment provided our patients must respect and be sensitive to their individual cultural needs.

From Erie: I-79 S to I-90 W to I-86 E to Rt. 60 S (Jamestown, NY exit) to 62 S (Warren)

From southeast Pennsylvania: I-80 W to Pennfield Exit to Rt. 153 N to Rt. 219 N to Ridgway Rt. 948 N to Sheffield Rt. 6 W to Warren

When you arrive in Warren take Rt. 62 N (also Market Street extension) and look for WSH signs.

For more detailed information you can visit commercial map and direction services on the Web or call the Business Office at Warren State Hospital at 814/726-4478.

Warren State Hospital provides a variety of employment opportunities. For specific information regarding current and future openings please contact:

Human Resource Department
Warren State Hospital
33 Main Drive
North Warren, PA 16365
Telephone: 814-726-4219
Contact Person: Nancy Saulo, HR Director

Or visit the State Civil Service Commission website at www.scsc.state.pa.us for additional information.

We're always looking for Registered Nurses who are dedicated to the Psychiatric care of adults with Mental Illnesses. For great Nursing Career opportunities visit www.nursing.state.pa.us

Warren State Hospital was one of the first large mental hospitals to be built exactly following the "Kirkbride Model." The Kirkbride Model was named after Dr. Thomas Kirkbride, who in the middle of the 19th century designed mental hospital buildings in a manner that permitted natural sunlight to enter in each room sometime each day. Another feature of a Kirkbride building is that it had its own natural air conditioning, using venting towers to pull air up and through each room in the building. Furthermore, Kirkbride paid much attention to the grounds surrounding his buildings. This often included landscaping with shrubbery and trees in a park-like setting with fountains and tree-lined drives.

Center Building at Warren State Hospital was designed by Kirkbride and originally built to accommodate 650 patients. It has all of the features listed above, i.e. rooms open to sunlight each day, natural air conditioning, fountains at the main entrance, a tree-lined entrance and pleasant landscaping. The cornerstone for Center Building was laid on Sept 10, 1874.

The construction was long and tough. The cellars were all dug by hand. Single horse-driven carts were used to move the stone from the quarry to the building site, more than a mile away. Nineteen loads of stone and one of sand was considered a good day's work. Every stone used in the construction was hauled to the masons in wheelbarrows. Most of the sixteen million bricks were manufactured, shaped, and fired on the site, including rounded bricks and keystones. As walls went up, one mason worked on the outside to every two bricklayers working on the inside wall. Six men were hired to do nothing but sharpen the stonemasons' tools. Construction started at opposite ends of the building and worked towards the center. The towers on the front of Center Building were built last and horses were used to hoist these final stones.

The State Hospital for the Insane at Warren, PA, as it was named, admitted its first patient on Dec 5, 1880. Dr. John Curwen was the first full time superintendent.

From the beginning, the State Hospital was at the forefront of treatment for persons with mental illness. It opened an outpatient clinic in 1885 for people who did not need to be hospitalized and a free clinic was offered two times a month for people who could not pay. At about the same time, a patients' library was established, recreation therapy was instituted and an art teacher was hired. Dr. Curwen retired in 1900 at the age of 79.

Other superintendents continued to make changes. Patients were provided the most current treatments and activities such as fishing, picnics, annual 4th of July outings (which were held on the islands in the Conewango Creek), and an annual Christmas party. A patients' baseball team was formed and it played against local teams. Also, Annual Field Days became a big event for patients in which they participated in a variety of competitive games and events.

The hospital was self-sustaining in that it raised its beef cattle, managed a prize-winning dairy herd, grew and packed its own vegetables. It also had a laundry, bakery and large kitchen. In fact, money from oil, which was discovered on the land, was used to enlarge the farmland. Patients were involved in "Industrial Therapy" and in doing so, provided much of the labor for the farm operations, laundry, cannery, grounds keeping, and cleaning.

In 1901 a school for nurses was opened. In 1903 the first class graduated. The school was closed in 1936. By 1916, the patient population had grown to 1,116 patients.

Through the years, the hospital changed with the times. The patient population continued to grow and more buildings were erected to accommodate them. In 1920, the name was changed to Warren State Hospital.

Many changes have taken place at Warren State Hospital over the past 127 years, but throughout its history, it has been committed to providing the best care possible to its patients and to being a leader in treatment of persons with serious mental illness. Today, the hospital has the ability to serve 216 patients in Civil and 27 in Forensic and remains an integral and important component in the continuum of care for persons with serious mental illness who reside in northwestern Pennsylvania. The hospital's service area encompasses the following counties: Cameron, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, McKean, Mercer, Potter, Venango and Warren.

The Forensic Center provides active psychiatric treatment and/or psychiatric evaluation in a medium security facility to persons that are involved with the county-based judicial/correction systems listed above. A person referred for admission to the Forensic Center must be under criminal detention by this system. For those persons committed for psychiatric treatment, the anticipated outcome is that with stabilization of their disorders, they will return to the judicial system. For those individuals referred for court ordered evaluations, the outcome is their return to the judicial system with a comprehensive psychiatric evaluation forwarded to the court of jurisdiction.

The Warren State Hospital Forensic Center Pre-admission Contact form is completed by the referring county and includes the reason for admission, the person's psychiatric, medical and legal status. The Treatment Team Director, Social Worker, Forensic Registered Nurse Supervisor and Chief Forensic Executive complete a pre-admission assessment (based on data sent by the referring county) of the patient and his needs, determine if those needs can be met at Warren State Hospital and request additional information if necessary.

Once the pre-admission assessment is completed and admission criteria have been met, the hospital's Forensic Social Worker will contact the county and schedule the admission. The inmate is transported by county law enforcement personnel to the Forensic center, and is admitted between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Emergency Admissions who meet emergency admission criteria, under section 302 of the Mental Health Procedures Act, are accepted only between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m., but referral information is accepted at any time, to expedite the admission process.

Service Area:	Service Area:
Erie	Crawford
Forest/Warren	Potter
Tioga	Venango
Northumberland	Mercer
Lycoming/Clinton	Columbia/Snyder/Montour/Union
Clearfield/Jefferson	Clarion
Centre	Cameron/Elk/McKean
Bradford/Sullivan	Huntington/Mifflin/Juniata
Armstrong/Indiana	Blair
Cambria	Wyoming

After hours (4:00 PM - 8:00 AM) Admission Contact:
Warren State Hospital Nursing Supervisor
Office Phone: 814-726-4280
Cell Phone: 814-730-7403

Visiting hours are 1 p.m. to 2:45 p.m. each Wednesday, November through March. There is no Wednesday visiting between April 1 and October 31.

Visiting hours Saturday, Sunday and major holidays are 9 a.m. - 10:45 a.m. and 1 p.m. - 2:45 p.m. major holidays are New Years Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Children under 18 years old must be accompanied and supervised by their parent or legal guardian and may visit during regular visiting hours except Wednesday.

No patient will be permitted to have visitors for the first 72 hours following admission.

As the threat of contraband entering the Forensic Center is always a risk, visiting is strictly controlled and monitored. To ensure no contraband enters the unit Center, all visitors must pass a security check, including a use of a metal detector and a pat-down search. Visiting is only permitted in the designated visiting area.

Only money and items of clothing may be brought to a Forensic patient during a visit, though money will be deposited in an account for the patient as money is not permitted in the possession of the patient. Questions regarding items that may be brought during a visit can be addressed to the Chief Forensic Executive.

Visitors requesting to visit at times other than designated visiting hours should contact the Chief Forensic Executive to request special consideration/arrangements.

Former Forensic patients are not permitted to visit current patients without permission of the Chief Forensic Executive (or CEO in her absence).

Patients cannot receive calls; however they may place outgoing calls anytime between 7:30 a.m. and 10 p.m. provided their right to place calls has not been restricted for therapeutic reasons. All patient calls must be "collect calls" or placed through a phone card.

In the event that a patient receives a call, the Forensic Employee who takes the call will get the name and phone information of the caller, and, if requested by the caller, relay to the patient that he is to return the call.

Complete physical, psychiatric, psychological, social and nursing assessments are done on every patient admitted to the Forensic Center, and a comprehensive individualized treatment plan is developed that addresses the problems and needs identified on these assessments. Treatment plans are formally reviewed at least every 30 days by the patient's treatment team. As much as possible, the patient actively participates in this review.

Treatment services available to patients at the Forensic Center include individual therapy, group therapy, psycho-educational programs, milieu therapy, counseling by members of the Treatment Team, Therapeutic Recreation, Vocational Adjustment Services and various social activities provided by Recreational Therapists. Speech Therapy, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy are provided when clinically indicated. A balanced diet is provided by Dietary Services for each patient, and specialized diets are available when clinically required. Patients under age 21 are evaluated with regard to their educational needs. Patients with special educational needs are also evaluated and appropriate resources are contacted. Other specialty departments/services are consulted when appropriate to assess the needs of the patient.

Patients on the Forensic Center have access to a formal complaint process that is administered and monitored by Warren State Hospital's client rights representative (CRR). The CRR also makes regular visits to the Forensic Center to afford patients the opportunity to ask for his assistance or to file a verbal complaint. The CRR insures that all patient complaints are responded to and that the hospital's policy on patient complaints is followed. Forensic Center patients also have access to the phone number for the Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania - Department of Public Welfare

Warren State Hospital