The Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center (CTPHC) is a 289-bed secure psychiatric hospital in Jessup, Maryland.[1] It is the forensic hospital providing forensic psychiatric behavioral health care, with areas offering maximum, medium, and minimum security.
The hospital was created by Article 59, Section 19A of the Annotated Code of Maryland, an act of the Maryland General Assembly on May 5, 1959, which states "There shall be an institution for persons requiring maximum security because of mental illness, with the powers and duties as provided in this Article and elsewhere in the laws of this State. Said institution shall be established at Jessup and shall be known as the Maximum Security Hospital." [1]
Entrance of CTPHC in 1961
Construction, at the cost of approximately three million dollars, was completed in late 1959. Prior to the opening of The Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center, patients involved with the law were kept in each of the state hospitals. The primary function of the new hospital was to provide a diagnostic and evaluation service to the courts and to provide treatment and care for court-committed, penal and hospital-transfer patients. In October, 1959, Dr. Jacob F. Morgenstern, Director of correctional Psychiatry for the Department of Mental Hygiene, was named the hospital's first superintendent. The hospital was officially opened on January 12, 1960.
CTPHC Aerial Footprint 1961
The Board of Public Works agreed to change the name from The Maximum Security Hospital to the Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center, in honor of Doctor Clifton T. Perkins, who was established as the first Commissioner of Mental Health of the State of Maryland in 1950 and who died in 1959. Dr. Perkins was a distinguished psychiatrist who arrived in Maryland with a mission to reform conditions in their public hospitals. He brought about the desegregation of Maryland psychiatric hospitals, despite considerable public opposition and with the necessity of federal court action. [1]
Dr. Clifton T. Perkins, first Commissioner of Mental Health of the State of Maryland, 1950.
Function
Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center is classified as a "Mental Hygiene Administration Facility within the Maryland Department of Health."[2] The facility is also known as "Maryland’s maximum security forensic psychiatric hospital."[2] Nearly all of its patients are involved in the legal system in some manner. CTPHC receives, evaluates, and treats several different groups of patients, including individuals who require psychiatric evaluation because they have been accused of a felony and have raised the Not Criminally Responsible (NCR) defense and/or their Competency to Stand Trial is in question.[2] CTPHC also provides treatment to accused offenders who have been adjudicated NCR and/or Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST) and accepts inmates from fellow correctional and psychiatric facilities who meet the criteria for involuntary commitment (IVA), or whose behavior is violent or aggressive.[2] It is the forensic hospital providing psychiatric behavioral health care, with areas offering maximum, medium, and minimum-security.[3]
CTPHC provides a comprehensive program for the evaluation and treatment of mental illness, with emphasis on assessment, treatment and recovery. The hospital program is structured to facilitate recovery through a graduated release process that begins in maximum security and culminates in release to the community. Their mission is to transform healthcare for forensic psychiatric patients by delivering safe, compassionate, and innovative care. They are committed to excellence in clinical practice, research, and education while fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and community engagement. Through collaboration with our dedicated team and key stakeholders, they strive to rebuild trust, advance clinical leadership, and ensure every patient receives the highest standard of care.
The high security hospital had been the subject of coverage by the Washington Post during 2024. Longer term issues now included abuse allegations, a riot, a murder and a rape. Maryland's Secretary of Health, Laura Herrera Scott, told an investigating committee that she had been misled.[3]
The hospital's vision is to re-establish Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center as a nationally premier institution, renowned for safety, excellence in patient care, clinical training, and research for Maryland’s forensic psychiatric patients. They aim to become a high-reliability organization (HRO) fully committed to safety and minimizing harm. By fostering a Just Culture, enhancing transparency, and engaging constructively with stakeholders, they will rebuild trust, deliver patient-centered care, and expand infrastructure to meet current and future needs.
In 2025, following the Washington Post coverage, significant leadership changes were made in the Maryland Department of Health and at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center. Newly appointed CEO, Dr. Aliya Jones, MD MBA, established a Strategic Plan for CTPHC with 5 core pillars to guide the hospital. These pillars are to Restore Safety, Stability, & Trust, to Strengthen Workforce Engagement & Development, to Modernize Operations & Infrastructure, to Elevate Clinical Excellence & Recovery-Oriented Care, and to Rebuild Public Confidence & Transparency.
Location
As of the 2010 census, the center of population for the State of Maryland falls in the hospital's northern parking lot.[4][5]
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