Rochester Psychiatric Center
Rochester Regional Forensic Unit

Rochester Regional Forensic Unit (RRFU) provides inpatient psychiatric treatment to mentally ill individuals who are currently involved or were involved with the Criminal Justice System.

Despite the necessary security on this unit, we make every effort to ensure a therapeutic, clean and safe environment. We offer as much privacy as possible for our patients.

There are four basic principles which form the Treatment Philosophy of the RRFU:

1. The program is patient centered (patients come first). This means that everything we do on the Unit must be in the best interest of the patients under our care. This includes our Treatment decisions, program planning, and our interactions with patients.
2. This Program is based on the belief that a forensic population can benefit from psychiatric treatment. They can change and make progress towards the resolution of their problems. They have a right to be treated with dignity, respect, and to receive the best psychiatric care available.
3. We provide evidence-based psychiatric services to patients who are involuntarily mandated to this unit because of their mental illness, dangerousness, impulsivity, aggression, addictions, and antisocial behaviors. There is no conflict involved in the concepts of security and treatment. Rather, we believe that these two concepts can be fused into an overall treatment approach.
4. The Forensic Unit takes a Multidisciplinary Teamwork Approach. In this program we bring together people with a wide variety of backgrounds, disciplines and training. Not one person can be the complete expert for any given patient.

RRFU admits patients subject to the provisions of Section 508 Corrections Law, Section 730 Criminal Procedure Law and Section 330.20 CPL.  The following is an explanation of the treatment goals of each of these legal categories:

• Section 508 Corrections Law - Allows for the commitment of pretrial or pre-sentenced detainees of county jails within our catchment area.  The treatment goal is rapid stabilization of acute reactive states or of acute psychotic episodes.  Discharge is usually back to the county jail of origin with follow-up treatment provided by the local county mental health department.
• Section 730 Criminal Procedure Law - Allows for the hospitalization of individuals who have been found not competent to stand trial.  Patients in this category are usually admitted on a temporary order of observation or on a commitment order.  The primary treatment goal for patients admitted under the provisions of this law is to restore the patient to competency as quickly as possible.  Patients under this category are always discharged back to the county jail of origin with follow up provided by the county mental health departments.
• Section 330.20 Criminal Procedure Law - Patients admitted in this category have been found not responsible by reason of mental illness or defect.  For patients who are admitted on an Order of Commitment, our treatment goal is to evaluate and treat their dangerous mental disorder.  Our long-range goal is to prepare these patients for transfer to a civil unit or nonsecure unit as soon as it is determined that they are no longer a danger to themselves or others because of their mental illness.  For patients who are admitted pursuant to an Order for Examination, our responsibility is to assess their dangerousness and report back to the referring court.

For further information regarding any of these programs, please call (585) 241-1200.

Comments or questions about the information on this page can be directed to the Rochester Psychiatric Center Administration.