Department Of State Hospitals - Coalinga

Visiting Department Of State Hospitals - Coalinga

This is what the institution publishes, in the order you will meet it: when visits run, how to book, when to arrive, what you may carry in and who may come with you.

When visits run

Official visitor information lists 8 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, including holidays, with no processing after 1:45 p.m.; current page notices and quarantine status must be checked. https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/Visitor_Info.html

Booking a visit

All visits must be scheduled in advance; no walk-ins. Use DSH-Coalinga Visitation Scheduling, and await confirmation by Department of Police Services. Televisiting is Monday-Friday, not weekends/holidays. https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/Visitor_Info.html https://televisit.dsh.ca.gov/?hospital=Coalinga

How early to arrive

Arrive 30 minutes early for screening/processing. Visitor processing takes about 30 minutes; the last appointment begins at 2 p.m. https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/Visitor_Info.html

Identification

Present valid government-issued photo ID plus address, phone number, vehicle license number if applicable and relationship to the patient. Televisit registration must use the legal name matching state-issued ID. https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/Visitor_Info.html

How many people may visit

The current visiting-room rule states a maximum group size of eight people total, counting patient(s) and visitor(s). Capacity can shorten visits or trigger rotation. https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/Visitor_Info.html

What stays in the car

Visitors are searched. No outside food or drink is allowed; prescribed medication may be brought but is taken outside the room when needed. Visitor regulations prohibit delivering contraband such as cellular/wireless devices. https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/Visitor_Info.html

Video visits, and what a visit costs

Televisiting is offered Monday-Friday; the official visitor page does not state a fee. One remote visitor per slot is described because of background-check limitations. https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/Visitor_Info.html

Source: CDCR

Phone calls and money

Phone calls

Patients may make outgoing collect calls from unit public phones and may receive incoming calls if a patient is available to answer the unit phone. https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/Family_and_Friend_Resources.html

Putting money on the books

DSH deposit services accept online/mobile/phone deposits; checks or money orders may be payable to DSH-Coalinga for the patient and mailed to Trust Office, P.O. Box 5001, Coalinga, CA 93210-5001. Sender name/address required; cash and traveler’s checks are not accepted. https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/Family_and_Friend_Resources.html

Source: CDCR

Worth knowing before you go

Schedule first, check the current unit-quarantine notice, arrive 30 minutes early, and do not bring outside food/drinks. Coalinga Transit’s official page describes local weekday Dial-A-Ride within city limits, but does not confirm service to the hospital. https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/Visitor_Info.html http://coalinga.com/281/Coalinga-Transit

Source: CDCR

Inside the institution

How it is laid out

The hospital has two wings divided by a 100-yard patient mall, lockable treatment units, a visitor courtyard, one large and eight smaller social courtyards, 16 sports yards, a baseball courtyard, eight atriums, gym, workshops and chapels. https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/Facilities.html

Security levels

DSH calls Coalinga a 1,500-bed maximum-security psychiatric hospital with a secured perimeter, sally ports, towers, patrols, internal hospital police, lockable units, metal detectors and searches. https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/Facilities.html

Source: CDCR

Health care and programmes

Health care

DSH-Coalinga provides around-the-clock psychiatric, medical and clinical care through psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, nurses, psychiatric technicians and other staff. https://dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/

Education, training and work

The treatment model includes educational opportunities, vocational services and recreation; the facility page describes mill/cabinet training and production workshops. https://dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/ https://www.dsh.ca.gov/Coalinga/Facilities.html

Source: CDCR