The California Health Care Facility – Stockton (CHCFS) serves as an intermediate medical and mental health care facility for patient-inmates within California’s prison system. Designed to centralize care for individuals with significant health needs, CHCFS combines essential clinical and mental health services within a maximum-security environment. Starting in fall 2013, inmates from California’s 33 state prisons who require intensive medical or psychiatric treatment will be relocated to CHCFS.

CHCFS spans 57 buildings across 1.2 million square feet on 144 acres. This 1,722-bed facility accommodates multiple inmate classifications, with 1,010 licensed beds for medical care and 612 beds for psychiatric care. Housing units are thoughtfully organized into “treatment clusters” based on each patient-inmate’s medical and mental health needs.

A Vision for Compassionate Care in Corrections

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) is leading the way in providing compassionate, high-quality medical and mental healthcare for inmates, setting a model that extends beyond state borders. By bringing together inmates who need round-the-clock nursing care, CDCR can offer consistent, professional care in a centralized setting, improving overall health outcomes for this vulnerable population.

Inmates requiring acute psychiatric care are moved from general prison populations across the state to an environment designed to support mental health, where centralized diagnostic and treatment centers create a campus-like atmosphere. The primary goal was to establish a healing environment while respecting the unique security requirements of a correctional facility.

Creating a Therapeutic and Functional Space for Patient-Inmates

Flexible, Purposeful Furnishings:

The new CHCFS facility required furniture that could adapt to the diverse needs of patient-inmates and remain flexible as future demands for medical and mental health treatment evolve.

Aesthetic Consideration for Wellbeing:

Interior design and furnishings incorporate color and thoughtful materials to move away from institutional gray, fostering a calming, therapeutic environment that supports mental and emotional wellbeing.

Ensuring Accessibility for All Abilities:

Recognizing the diverse needs of patient-inmates, CHCFS is designed to accommodate those with visual and mobility challenges, ensuring that all areas are fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Balancing Durability with Hygiene:

Furniture must not only be highly durable but also easy to clean and sanitize, enabling a safe, healthy environment for both patient-inmates and staff.

Prioritizing Safety and Security:

Furniture is designed to be structurally sound, tamper-resistant, and safe, providing peace of mind for inmates and staff alike in a challenging environment.

Collaborative Design: Building Spaces with Purpose and Empathy

The furniture selection process began in 2006 with a commitment to creating spaces that balance functionality, security, and dignity. Michael Kanche, a consultative sales specialist, collaborated with HDR Architecture and CDCR’s Design Standards and Review Services team to develop tailored furniture options that address the unique needs of CHCFS.

Using the “MOBI” mobile furniture showroom, Mr. Kanche presented options directly to CDCR representatives, incorporating feedback from design professionals and hospital practitioners to ensure the selections aligned with clinical realities.

Voices that Shaped the Healing Environment

Dr. Margaret McAloon, PhD, Chief Psychologist with the Division of Corrections Healthcare Services, played a crucial role in defining the functional and aesthetic requirements of the furniture. Through close collaboration with CDCR’s Trish Rodriguez and Robert St. Germain, product specifications were developed to meet clinical, functional, and security needs while supporting a therapeutic environment.

Design Goals Rooted in Dignity and Practicality

Accessible and Inclusive Design: Furniture supports patient-inmates with visual and mobility challenges, and CHCFS is fully ADA-compliant, ensuring that every individual can move safely and comfortably within the space.

Functionality with Respect for Environment:

Durability and cleanability are essential to meet the demanding conditions of a correctional healthcare setting, while movable furniture allows staff to maintain the facility with ease.

Safety as a Foundation of Care:

The selected furniture is tamper-resistant, stable, and secure, reflecting the facility’s dual commitment to patient-inmate wellbeing and institutional security.

These design goals required specialized product customizations to address the specific needs of the facility’s population.

Customized Solutions for a Secure and Supportive Environment

  • Psychiatric Patient Rooms: Attenda® Series molded storage units, including nightstands and bookshelves, were ballasted to prevent easy movement, enhancing patient and staff safety. For rooms with medical beds, the same units were fitted with secure casters, balancing mobility with security.
  • ADA-Accessible Waiting Areas: Gibraltar™ Series seating was chosen for secure waiting areas, modified to remove end arms to ensure compliance with ADA standards.
  • Therapeutic Common Spaces: Hondo® Series lounge seating was selected for group therapy and common areas. With a seamless, molded design, Hondo seating provides extreme durability and easy cleaning. Colors and finishes were carefully chosen to create a welcoming and therapeutic environment.

Outcome: A Milestone in Correctional Healthcare

This project required detailed coordination across furniture production, delivery, and installation. Norix managed logistics and provided select installation services, ensuring timely and organized deliveries in line with Vanir Construction Management’s project schedule.

According to Trey Freeman from CDCR, Norix furnishings successfully met all operational objectives, fulfilling both functional and security requirements essential to CHCFS’s mission.

The California Health Care Facility – Stockton welcomed its first inmate-patient on July 15, 2013, marking a significant step forward in correctional healthcare. Full operational capacity for the CHCFS campus is anticipated by the year’s end.