About Department of State Hospitals-Atascadero

Located in Atascadero, California the coastal heartland known as San Luis Obispo County, which is midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles, The California Department of State Hospitals – Atascadero is a treatment facility that serves the entire state in a forensic setting.  The region encompasses a rapidly growing wine industry, agricultural lands, ranches, and a carefully preserved rural quality.  Opened in 1954, the Department of State Hospitals – Atascadero recognizes that mental health recovery is most effectively achieved in an environment that fosters creative problem-solving, innovation, and mutual respect within a dynamic therapeutic milieu. Treatment is designed collaboratively by a multi-disciplinary team.

DSH-Atascadero is dedicated to creating a therapeutic environment that supports our patients' treatment progress and potential reintegration into the community. Providing vocational training, educational courses such as GED preparation, substance abuse programs, and both group and individual therapy sessions. Additionally, offering opportunities for participation in art, sports, music, meditation, religious, and social activities.