
The Oregon State Hospital is a psychiatric hospital and one of the oldest continuously operating hospitals on the West Coast. It was founded in 1862 and constructed in 1883 in Salem, Oregon, and has a smaller satellite campus in Junction City. The hospital has had a long and varied history, including involvement in electroconvulsive therapy, lobotomies, eugenics, and hydrotherapy. It has also faced challenges with overcrowding and has been the subject of recent discussions regarding visitation policies and patient safety. With ongoing developments and a rich historical context, the Oregon State Hospital remains an important institution in the present day.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Salem, Oregon, US |
| Type of Hospital | Public psychiatric hospital |
| Year founded | 1862 |
| Year opened | 1883 |
| Year of most recent renovation | 2024 |
| Visitation policy | No-contact visitation for most patients |
| Admission criteria | People charged with crimes and deemed unable to aid in their defense within seven days of a judge's ruling |
| Treatment model | Transitioning from unit-based care to a treatment mall concept focused on recovery |
| Campus features | 22 outdoor courtyards, residential "house" areas, and a narrow-gauge railroad |
| Notable film setting | One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest |
| Affiliated museum | Oregon State Hospital Museum of Mental Health |
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What You'll Learn

The Oregon State Hospital is a public psychiatric hospital
The hospital was established after the Oregon Hospital for the Insane in Portland closed. The street on which the current hospital is located was originally named Asylum Avenue, but it was later renamed Center Street. The hospital has a long and varied history, including involvement in electroconvulsive therapy, lobotomies, eugenics, and hydrotherapy. It also experienced significant overcrowding in the mid-twentieth century, with a peak of nearly 3,600 patients.
The Oregon State Hospital has also faced recent challenges, including a patient death from a suspected overdose of fentanyl in May, which resulted in the hospital shutting its doors to visitors. The hospital is now allowing visitors back, but most visits will be no-contact, with stringent measures in place to prevent contraband from entering the facility.
The hospital has been the subject of recent federal court rulings, which aim to limit how long people charged with crimes can stay at the hospital while also reducing the wait time for treatment. The hospital is also undergoing a transformation, with a focus on modernizing the facility and emphasizing individualized treatment for successful long-term recovery. The new design includes residential "house" areas, treatment "downtown" areas, and outdoor courtyards for patients to enjoy nature.
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It is located in Salem, Oregon, with a satellite campus in Junction City
The Oregon State Hospital is a public psychiatric hospital located in Salem, Oregon, with a satellite campus in Junction City. It is the oldest operating psychiatric hospital in Oregon and one of the oldest continuously operating hospitals on the West Coast.
The hospital was founded in 1862 and constructed in the Kirkbride Plan design in 1883. It is located on Center Street, originally named Asylum Avenue, in Salem, Oregon's capital city. The hospital was established following the closure of the Oregon Hospital for the Insane in Portland, 47 miles (76 km) north of Salem.
The Oregon State Hospital has a long history of providing mental healthcare and has been active in fields such as electroconvulsive therapy, lobotomies, eugenics, and hydrotherapy. The hospital has also faced challenges with overcrowding throughout its history. In 1961, the opening of Dammasch State Hospital helped to mitigate these issues.
The hospital in Salem has been the subject of recent news due to its visitation policies and patient safety concerns. In 2024, the hospital implemented no-contact visitation policies to prevent contraband, such as fentanyl, from being smuggled in by visitors. This decision was made after a patient died from a suspected overdose of fentanyl, believed to have been brought in by a visitor.
The Oregon State Hospital in Salem, along with its satellite campus in Junction City, continues to provide psychiatric care and treatment to patients while navigating the balance between patient safety, family visitation, and public health concerns.
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The hospital was founded in 1862 and opened in 1883
The Oregon State Hospital is a psychiatric hospital in Salem, Oregon, with a satellite campus in Junction City. It is the oldest operating psychiatric hospital in Oregon and one of the oldest continuously run hospitals on the West Coast. The hospital was founded in 1862 and opened in 1883 as the Oregon State Insane Asylum.
The original Oregon Hospital for the Insane was established by American physician James C. Hawthorne in East Portland, Oregon (now the Hawthorne District). The facility was built in 1862, and the street on which it stood was renamed Asylum Avenue. The Oregon State Hospital was established after the closure of the Oregon Hospital for the Insane, which was located 47 miles north of Salem.
The new hospital in Salem was constructed based on the Kirkbride Plan for a total of $184,000 (equivalent to $6,209,343 in 2024). The building is designed in the Italiante style by W.F. Boothby. Dr Simeon Josephi was the hospital's first superintendent, serving from its opening until May 1887. He based his treatment methods on those used by Dr Hawthorne.
By 1891, the hospital housed 478 male and 212 female patients. The growing number of patients led to the addition of two new wings and the conversion from gas to electric lighting. The hospital was also active in the fields of electroconvulsive therapy, lobotomies, eugenics, and hydrotherapy. In the mid-20th century, the facility experienced significant overcrowding, with a peak of nearly 3,600 patients.
In recent years, the hospital has faced criticism for issues related to patient safety, visitor screening, and overcrowding. In 2007, the state approved a $458 million plan to rebuild the main hospital, reducing the number of beds to 620. The new facility was completed in 2013, and the hospital continues to operate today.
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It is the oldest operating psychiatric hospital in Oregon
The Oregon State Hospital is a public psychiatric hospital located in Salem, Oregon, with a smaller satellite campus in Junction City. Founded in 1862 and opened in 1883, it is the oldest operating psychiatric hospital in Oregon and one of the oldest continuously operated hospitals on the West Coast.
The hospital was established after the Oregon Hospital for the Insane in Portland closed. The street on which the original hospital was built was renamed Asylum Avenue, and the street in Salem where the current hospital is located was also originally named Asylum Avenue. The current hospital was constructed based on the Kirkbride Plan for a total of $184,000 (equivalent to $6,209,343 in 2024). Its architecture is Italianate in style, and it was designed by W.F. Boothby.
The Oregon State Hospital has a long and varied history. In the mid-twentieth century, the facility experienced significant overcrowding, with a peak of nearly 3,600 patients. The hospital was active in the fields of electroconvulsive therapy, lobotomies, eugenics, and hydrotherapy. The hospital also established the Child and Adolescent Secure Treatment Program in 1976, treating patients from ages eight to eighteen. In 1981 and 1983, the hospital abolished the practice of lobotomy and dismantled its eugenics program. However, it continued to experience issues with overcrowding in the 1980s and 1990s.
Today, the Oregon State Hospital continues to face challenges, including contraband risks and patient safety issues. Despite these difficulties, it remains a crucial facility for psychiatric care and treatment in the state of Oregon.
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The hospital has a history of overcrowding
The Oregon State Hospital is a public psychiatric hospital and one of the oldest continuously operating hospitals on the West Coast, founded in 1862 and opened in 1883. It has a long and complex history, including a history of overcrowding.
In the mid-twentieth century, the hospital experienced significant overcrowding, with a peak of nearly 3,600 patients. This issue was mitigated in 1961 with the opening of Dammasch State Hospital in Clackamas County, near Portland. However, overcrowding remained a problem for the hospital throughout the 1980s and 1990s. In 1991, it was reported that the hospital was so overcrowded that beds were placed in corridors and smoking rooms in wards.
The hospital has also faced other challenges, including issues with patient safety and contraband. In 2024, the hospital shut down temporarily after a patient died from a suspected fentanyl overdose, believed to have been smuggled in by a visitor. This incident led to the implementation of stringent measures to prevent contraband from entering the hospital, including no-contact visitation policies.
The hospital has been the subject of federal court orders and rulings aimed at addressing issues related to patient admissions and wait times for treatment. There have been concerns about the constitutional rights of defendants with mental illnesses and the impact of the hospital's limitations on patient care.
Despite these challenges, the Oregon State Hospital remains open and continues to operate as a psychiatric facility, providing treatment and care for its patients. It has undergone restoration and expansion projects, transitioning to a modern, efficient, and humane campus with a focus on individualized treatment and successful long-term recovery.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the Oregon State Hospital is still open. It is a public psychiatric hospital and is the oldest operating psychiatric hospital in Oregon.
The hospital was founded in 1862 and constructed in 1883 in Salem, Oregon. It is the oldest working psychiatric facility on the West Coast. The hospital was previously known as the Oregon State Insane Asylum and was built based on the Kirkbride Plan.
The hospital was involved in electroconvulsive therapy, lobotomies, eugenics, and hydrotherapy. The hospital also implemented an "aggressive" vaccination program to combat smallpox outbreaks.
The hospital has faced challenges in recent years, including issues with overcrowding, patient safety, and contraband. Visitation has been limited to no-contact due to contraband risks, which has sparked debate among advocates and officials. The hospital is also subject to federal court orders regarding the admission and treatment of mentally ill individuals charged with crimes.




































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