North Texas State Hospital
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The North Texas State Hospital (NTSH) is a trio of inpatient mental health facilities owned by the State of Texas and operated by the Texas Health and Human Service Commission's Health and Specialty Care System division.[1] NTSH has three campuses, one in Wichita Falls and two in Vernon.
Wichita Falls campus
[edit]The Wichita Falls campus is a 330-bed facility that exists to treat people with mental illnesses and mental retardation after being screened by a local mental health facility (generally, a hospital or community mental health/mental retardation facility). It is Medicare certified. Although not a maximum security facility, the campus is guarded, and buildings (which are not guarded) are constantly locked with very limited access.[citation needed]The facility used to be open until a few years ago before the merge with formally Vernon State Hospital. Wichita Falls State Hospital was the name since 1922 and Vernon was added as an annex in the 1960s. Since the merge and the approx. $100,000 name change the hospital has become much more restricted and is no longer an open campus.
New Hospital
[edit]In 2023, the 88th Texas Legislature set aside $425 million for the construction of a replacement hospital building that will be built behind the existing aged facilities, with construction to start summer 2024.[2] The new facility will have 200 beds: 24 maximum-security, 136 non-maximum-security, 24 adolescent and 16 civil. Construction is estimated for completion in fall 2027. The plans for the existing hospital facilities are still being discussed.[3]
Vernon campus
[edit]The Vernon campus has 262 adult beds and 32 adolescent beds. It is a maximum-security facility that services adults with criminal (forensic) issues.
The Vernon campus was mandated by the 70th Texas Legislature to provide services to six populations:
- Persons with felony charges who have been found incompetent to stand trial;
- Persons admitted for pre-trial evaluations for competency and issues of insanity;
- Persons found not guilty by reason of insanity;
- Persons from other state hospitals who have been found to be manifestly dangerous;
- Mentally disabled persons who have been found incompetent to stand trial on misdemeanor or felony charges;
- Persons from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and jails who need inpatient psychiatric hospitalization.[4]
Vernon Campus South
[edit]In January 2018 the NTSH re-opened the Victory Field location[5][6] to house adolescents with dually-diagnosed substance abuse and mental health problems. Many of the clients are admitted as a condition of their probation, having had significant involvement with the juvenile justice system.
Accreditation
[edit]North Texas State Hospital is accredited by the Joint Commission.[7]
Notable patients
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "North Texas State Hospital | Texas Health and Human Services". www.hhs.texas.gov. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ^ "HHSC to Host Community Information Session on $452 Million Construction Project at North Texas State Hospital – Wichita Falls | Texas Health and Human Services". www.hhs.texas.gov. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ^ Doyle, Cody (2023-10-11). "New $452 Million State Hospital Construction Will Start in 2024". Frontier Chronicler. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ^ "History".
- ^ Santiago, Marievel (10 January 2018). "North Texas State Hospital adolescent forensic program has new home". TEXOMASHOMEPAGE.
- ^ "North Texas State Hospital-Vernon Updates Building for Adolescent Program - Texas Health and Human Services". hhs.texas.gov.
- ^ "Find Accredited Organizations | The Joint Commission". www.jointcommission.org. Retrieved 2024-05-19.
- ^ "Santa Fe HS suspect in mental hospital after unfit for trial ruling". 6 December 2019.
External links
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