Top 10 psychiatric hospitals in the U.S.

It’s vital that we increase awareness and understanding of the areas of psychiatry and mental health. In fact, 26% of people in the U.S. live with a diagnosable mental disorder each year and mental illness is a major risk factor for suicide.

Psychiatric hospitals are integral to the field of psychiatry, as they provide 24/7 psychiatric and psychological care to patients.

See below a list of the top 10 largest psychiatric hospitals in the U.S.

Top 10 psychiatric hospitals by number of staffed beds

Rank	Hospital	State	# of Staffed Beds
1	DSH - Metropolitan	CA	1,004
2	Western State Hospital	WA	771
3	Spring Grove Hospital Center	MD	639
4	InterCommunity Blue Hills	CT	617
5	Oregon State Hospital - Salem	OR	577
6	Springfield Hospital Center	MD	522
7	Ancora Psychiatric Hospital	NJ	515
8	South Beach Psychiatric Center	NY	507
9	Colorado Mental Health Institute at Pueblo	CO	498
10	Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center	NY	475

Fig. 1 Data is from Definitive Healthcare’s HospitalView database. Data accessed May 2022. Derived from the hospitals' most recent Medicare Cost Reports.

Which hospital had the most staffed beds?

DSH – Metropolitan had the most staffed beds with 1,004. In second was Western State Hospital with 771 beds, and in third was Spring Grove Hospital Center with 639 beds. Across the top ten, there was a total of 6,125 beds and an average of 613 beds.

The large number of staffed beds that these hospitals have makes it possible for them to treat more patients.

Where are the top 10 psychiatric hospitals located?

Fig. 2 Data is from Definitive Healthcare’s HospitalView database. Data accessed May 2022. Derived from the hospitals' most recent Medicare Cost Reports.

Notably, seven of the top 10 psychiatric hospitals are in high-population states like New Jersey, Connecticut, Maryland, New York and California. Maryland and New York are both home to two of the top 10 psychiatric hospitals.

What are psychiatric hospitals?

Psychiatric hospitals are healthcare facilities that specialize in the care and treatment of patients affected and diagnosed with acute and chronic mental illnesses.

Many individuals who seek care at inpatient psychiatric hospitals do so in emergency cases, as the care is expensive and interruptive of daily life.

In particular, psychiatric hospitals provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals in crisis. The care may include 24/7 safety monitoring and assessment, medication management and psychological therapy services.

Many types of healthcare providers work in psychiatric hospitals, including physicians, nurses, psychologists and social workers.

How many psychiatric hospitals are in the U.S.?

Across all types of psychiatric facilities, there are about 12,275 total facilities in the U.S. as of 2020. Definitive Healthcare currently tracks more than 900 psychiatric hospitals in the U.S. using HospitalView.

How was psychiatric care affected by the COVID-19 pandemic?

The COVID-19 pandemic affected all areas of healthcare – psychiatry and mental health certainly included. Throughout the pandemic, economic difficulties, social isolation and uncertainty led to unique and significant stressors for many people. In fact, our claims data showed a 12% increase in anxiety diagnoses and an over 4% increase in depression diagnoses in 2020.

Despite these difficulties, the pandemic also gave rise to telehealth for psychiatric purposes, which has greatly increased safe access to mental healthcare services.

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