Maintaining connections with family and friends can be an important part of a patient's recovery. You can show your support through in person and virtual visits, phone calls and mail. If patients give their permission, you can also communicate with their treatment team. Oftentimes, family members have helpful suggestions and ideas for improving a person's care.
Family responsibilities
Oregon State Hospital (OSH) recognizes that recovery and health care delivery is a partnership between the hospital, the patient and other supports. Please review the“Family Responsibilities" handout for information on how you can enhance your involvement as a partner in the health care process.
Confidentiality
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) guarantees OSH patients privacy rights related to their health information. By law, there are two types of permissions a patient may grant by signing one or both of the following forms:
- A Disclosure of Hospitalization (DOH) form allows hospital staff to confirm someone is a patient at OSH.
- A Release of Information form (ROI) allows hospital staff to share information about a patient's treatment with the specified person. The ROI may include the ability to talk with the patient's treatment team.
A patient may choose to withdraw this permission at any time, for any reason.
Phone calls
There are phones on each unit that patients can use to make and receive daily phone calls. These phones provide access to nationwide calling at no cost. Phones may be turned off during treatment mall hours to encourage participation in treatment activities. Phones are also turned off late in the evening through early morning to provide a quiet sleeping environment. Please ask your loved one for the best time to call them, based on their unit's schedule.
Unit Phone Numbers
Mail
Patients have the right to send and receive mail while at OSH. Many patients look forward to receiving mail from their family and friends. If patients are unable to pay for stamps and writing materials, the hospital will provide them with supplies to send up to three letters per week.
Patients can receive mail that is less than 16 ounces, 12 inches high, 15 inches long or ½ inch thick, you can view documents about these limits below:
If you do not know what unit to call, or if you have questions about sending mail, please call OSH Family Services at 503-947-8109 in Salem and 541-465-2785 in Junction City. You can also email
OSH.OmbudsandFamilyServices@odhsoha.oregon.gov.
Property/Packages
OSH is required to keep patients safe. One way we are doing this is to ensure all patient property is approved for use in our secure psychiatric environment. As a result, you may not send packages through the mail or drop them off in person or during visitation. Packages sent to OSH will be returned to you through the mail. This also help make sure that patients don't have more property than space allows.
In addition to OSH issued property that is available to all patients (clothes, personal care items, snacks) patients can work with staff to buy items in the OSH Market. With approval, patients can also special order some items. OSH is committed to meeting the cultural and spiritual needs of patients and will do so by providing the necessary provisions.
You can help provide things for your loved one by putting money in their trust account so they can make purchases at the OSH Market. OSH does not make money off market purchases. See below for information on adding money to a patent trust account.
Money/patient trust accounts
Patients may choose to open a trust account while at OSH. Depending on their privilege level or treatment team approval, patients can withdraw money from their account to shop in the OSH patient market, to purchase food at the hospital's café, or, if approved, to place a mail order.
Patients may not receive money directly. You can deposit money into a patient's trust account by:
- Leaving a check or money order with the patient's name with Reception
- Sending a check or money order in the patient's name to:
OSH Patient Trust Dept
2600 Center St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
Once received, hospital staff will deposit the money into a patient's account. When sending a personal check, it can take up to 10 business days for the funds to be available. If a patient does not yet have an account, hospital staff can help them open one.
Visitation
For information about in
person and virtual visitation — including applying to visit, visitation
schedules and visitor guidelines — please see the
Visitation page on this site.
Events for friends and family
Throughout the year*, OSH hosts events for patients and
their friends and family. Events are held at both the Salem and Junction City
locations and may include a mix of informational, social, and recreational
activities. These events are free and open to approved visitors of current
patients Visit the
Friends and Family Events page for more information.
*Events may be cancelled or postponed if the hospital is under medical restrictions because of communicable disease.