Bridgewater State Hospital

Each individual admitted to Bridgewater State Hospital shall be subject to a court-ordered evaluation under an applicable section of Mass General Law Chapter 123. The length of the observation period can range from twenty to forty days, based upon the purpose of the evaluation. Such evaluations are completed in the effort to determine the following:

• Competency to stand trial
• Determination of criminal responsibility
• Ability to await trial in a penal environment
• Ability to serve a sentence in a penal environment
• Need for further treatment and/or strict security following a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity
• Sentencing evaluation

All evaluations are conducted by highly trained and qualified psychiatrists and psychologists, and Bridgewater State Hospital is highly regarded in its efforts to provide this specialized and valuable service to the Commonwealth's courts.

Patients may be committed to this facility following the completion of their observation period if it is determined that they need further treatment and evaluation. Commitment periods can range from six months to one year, and must be ordered by the court. Assessment and treatment is afforded patients as determined by the multi-disciplinary treatment team assigned to each unit. Individual and group counseling as well as specialized treatment programs are available to all patients. Other programmatic opportunities available include academic and vocational education, structured recreation, leisure time activities, religious programming, addiction prevention groups, and general law libraries.

Bridgewater State Hospital is managed by the Massachusetts Department of Correction. Its mission is the establishment and maintenance of a safe, secure, and humane environment to all persons requiring specialized care and treatment. In all cases, the patients that are admitted to this facility may be charged with or convicted of crimes ranging from misdemeanors to major felonies. Massachusetts General Law requires that individuals who are determined to be in need of strict security because of the potential for endangering themselves or others be sent to Bridgewater State Hospital.