Welcome to the Atascadero State Hospital (ASH) Website. ASH is a 1275 bed maximum-security forensic hospital located on the Central Coast of California. We provide inpatient forensic services for adult males who are court committed from throughout the State of California.

Our patient population consists of:

• Mentally Ill Inmates
  
• Mentally Disordered Offenders
  
• Patients who have been found Incompetent to Stand Trial
  
• Patients who have been found Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity
  
• Patients who have been committed under the Sexually Violent Predator Civil Commitment

ASH employs 2,000 exemplary staff members committed to the development and evaluation of state-of-the-science forensic practice. The treatment program at ASH is multidisciplinary including strong emphasis on Biopsychosocial Rehabilitation, Medical Management of chronic psychiatric disorders, Relapse Prevention and Substance Abuse Treatment. Patients receive a wide variety of clinical services including recreational and horticultural therapy, educational opportunities and work experience. We recognize the role that family and social support plays in successful community tenure and encourage family participation in patient treatment whenever possible. We nourish the development of our patients through a variety of optional pastoral services.

ASH is committed to the professional development of our staff. The hospital has a substantial professional education program including weekly, monthly and annual colloquia by guests nationally recognized as leaders in the field. We provide numerous opportunities for staff interested in professional advancement. In addition to our onsite 12-month Psychiatric Technology Program, we are affiliated with a number of universities across the state and provide internship and fellowship programs in a variety of disciplines including nursing, psychiatry, psychology, and pharmacy. We value our contributions to the field of forensic mental health and strongly support applied research activities, grant writing, and publication.

The staff of Atascadero State Hospital take great pride in serving the people of California by fulfilling a venerable social mission--providing care and treatment for the dangerous mentally ill members of our communities.

Thank you for your interest in Atascadero State Hospital. We welcome your inquiries regarding patient treatment, career opportunities and forensic clinical practice.

Jon DeMorales
Executive Director