Visiting Fulton State Hospital

We welcome visitors to Fulton State Hospital. Visits by friends and relatives play an important part in the rehabilitation of those we serve and we welcome visitors who are here just to learn more about the hospital. In either event, the following guidelines will make your visit more rewarding.

Remember, that the hospital is here to provide active treatment to those entrusted to our care and the guidelines are written with their well being, privacy and safety foremost. If there is anything we can do to make this or future visits better, please do not hesitate to let us know.

Please be advised that our individuals have the right to refuse visits

Biggs Forensic Center:

  • Monday through Friday: 1 pm - 2:30 pm
  • Saturday, Sunday and Holidays: 9 am - 11 am & 1 pm - 2:30 pm
  • Saturday and Monday: 7 pm - 8 pm

We require identification to the satisfaction of our Security personnel. If there is any doubt about the advisability of a visit, Security personnel shall contact the Program Coordinator or Treatment Team Leader, if available, or the Charge RN on duty, who shall make the final decision.

Occasionally, it may become necessary to limit visits to one-half hour whenever the visiting room is crowded. Otherwise, you may visit the entire length of the visiting period. Any number of family or friends may visit at one time with an individual, providing there is space in the visiting room. Visitors leaving the visiting room for any reason and exiting through gates shall not be allowed to re-enter until the next visiting period. The visiting schedule is available at the reception desk for your convenience. Please feel free to ask our Security personnel for a copy of the visiting schedule and for clarification of any questions or concerns you might have regarding our visiting policy. All visitors under the age of 18, unless married to the individual being visited, must be accompanied by an adult. Any exceptions must be approved by the individual's treatment team and Biggs Security. Children under the age of 10 require prior approval of at least 48 hours before being allowed to visit. This approval may be obtained through the Security staff, the treatment team leader/designee and nursing. Children under the age of 10 must be supervised by an adult at all times while on campus.

Visitors for Department of Correction individuals must be approved through the Department of Corrections and their names must appear on the person's "approved visitors" list before being allowed to visit. Any visitors under the age of 18 years, unless married to the individual, must be accompanied by an adult, who is also on the "approved visitors" list. If a prospective visitor is not on the “approved visitors” list, but requests a special visit, or if an individual or the program requests a special visit from someone, Security Staff, in consultation with the Program Coordinator/designee, will determine whether one special visit should be allowed. DOC will be informed of the request; the visit will be granted unless denied by DOC. Any special visit must be requested two working days in advance.

Guhleman Forensic Center

The staff of the Guhleman Forensic Center (GFC) support and encourage visits from family and friends. Visitors can lift an individuals spirits, share news from home, and give a wealth of moral support. For the safety, health, and comfort of those we treat and visitors we have established a list of basic guidelines regarding visits in the Guhleman Unit. We appreciate your cooperation in following these guidelines.

Visiting Hours:

  • Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday: 1 pm - 3:00 pm & 7:00 pm - 8 pm
  • Saturdays and Holidays that do not fall on Thursday: 9 am - 11 am; 1 pm - 3:00 pm & 7:00 pm - 8pm
  • "Special requests" for visiting outside established hours can be made to the treatment team. Scheduling of such must be coordinated through security.

Visitor's Pass:

Visitor passes are issued at the Guhleman Unit. The pass, when completed, will contain visitor information: Visitor name, address, relationship to the individual along with the visitor acknowledgement of the hospital's No Hostage policy, infection control and emergency code system. Visitors may be requested to provide personal identification.

Visitor's Clearance:

All visitors will be required to clear through the walkthrough metal detector or the hand held metal detector frisker before passing through the sally port. NO hands-on searches are to be performed without authorization from the hospital REO or his designee.

All visitors under 18 years of age, unless married to the individual being visited, must be accompanied by an adult family member or other adult. Adults are required to supervise and remain in the presence of their minor children at all times. Children under 10 years of age must have prior approval before being allowed to visit. The treatment team should be notified at least 48-hours in advance of visiting with children under age 10. It is the treatment team’s responsibility to notify security. In instances where children under 10 years of age present to the unit for a visit without prior approval, the unit nursing supervisor should be notified. At that point, the unit nursing supervisor will contact the treatment team representative to seek guidance to ensure the visit is appropriate.

Sex Offender Rehabilitation and Treatment Services (SORTS)

Approved Visitors:
Persons from the general community approved to visit clients that are included on client’s visitor list.
Former Employee:
Any individual who worked or volunteered at the facility
Former Client:
Any individual who was detained or committed to the facility for any length of time
Guest:
Attorneys, clergy, legislative tours, etc.
Attorney:
The word attorney in this procedure policy shall mean the attorney of record.
  • The attorney of record is any public defender or private attorney officially representing the client in the process of adjudication as a sexually violent predator, in appeal of commitment in defense of a criminal charge, or in legal proceedings that the client may initiate against the State of Missouri or a private civil agreement.
  • The attorney of record must be independently verified by the court, the Office of the Attorney General, or an Office of the Public Defender in legal documents or by correspondence.
  • Individuals, who are attorneys, but not the attorney of record, are not granted attorney privileges.
Clergy:
The word clergy in this procedure policy shall mean licensed clergy or recognized spiritual advisor such as elders, deacons, lay leaders, shamans, etc.
  • Clients must complete a Clergy or Spiritual Advisor of Record Form and an Authorization for Release of PHI to allow Internal Security to screen the clergy member for facility access.
  • Clergy who have completed the screening application and who have been approved for visits will become the client’s clergy or spiritual advisor of record.
  • The facility chaplain will make the final decision regarding an individual’s standing as a clergy member.
  • Each client may have no more than two clergy or spiritual advisors of record.
Community Physicians:
Licensed physicians not credentialed to practice in a Department of Mental Health facility.
Other Interested Parties:
Persons with a valid need for direct contact with a client: Persons with a verified business need, news reporters, or others approved by the COO/designee.

Visiting Hours and Location:

  • Visiting with SORTS clients occur in the Guhleman (GFC) West Visiting Room
  • Thursday**: 1 pm - 2:30 pm & 6:30 pm - 8 pm
  • Sunday: 9 am - 11 am, 1 pm - 2:30 pm & 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
  • **If a state holiday falls on a Thursday, there will be a 9 am -11 am visiting time available.
  • Holidays are defined as: New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
    • Non-Contact Visiting Hours for Red Level Clients
  • 9 am to 11 am on Wednesdays
    • Visiting hours are subject to change based on Program and/or Security needs.

General Information:

  • The most current approved visitor list will be posted in the Security Control Room. Clients must submit a “Request for Visitors List Form” listing the name, address, and relationship of all desired visitors. A “Visitors Application Form” will be sent to each person listed on the form. Forms are returned to the COO or designee to be processed for approval. All approved underage children will be noted by use of an asterisk on the list.
  • All visitors who are not minors must present a valid state issued ID.
  • Juvenile visitors (under age 14 years) will not be allowed unless the juvenile is part of the client’s immediate family (son, daughter, sister or brother - legal adoptions included). Step-children will be approved on an individual basis by the unit team. Under age nieces, nephews, cousins, etc. will not be permitted to visit. An Application for “Juvenile Visitor form” must be completed and approved by the Chief Operating Officer or designee. Juveniles must be accompanied and supervised by an adult visitor at all times. The juvenile visitor must sit at the table, and not on the resident’s lap. A juvenile known to be a victim of the client may not visit without prior unit team approval.
  • Victims are not allowed to visit. Exceptions may be made upon recommendations of the Treatment Team for compelling clinical reasons and the approval of the COO or designee.
  • Visits may be suspended or shortened at the discretion of the facility for situations that concern the safety and security of the campus including but not limited to inclement weather, construction progress, loss of utilities, etc.
  • Each visit is to be noted in the individual client’s treatment record.
  • A maximum of six (6) clients will be allowed to have visitors at one time. Each client is limited to three (3) visitors per visit. Visitors may be assigned to either the morning or the afternoon session in order to equitably accommodate all clients. If more than three visitors wish to see a single client, those visitors must make advanced arrangements with the facility to visit in shifts during the visiting periods.
  • Single event exceptions to visiting procedures may be approved by the COO/designee in cases of medical illness or to advance treatment. Exceptions will be documented in the client’s chart in the progress notes.
    • Special requests for visiting outside established hours can be made to the treatment team. Scheduling of such must be coordinated through security.
    • The visiting room located in GFC West is to be used for client visits. Alternate areas may be used if necessary for attorneys and special evaluations, with Security approval.
    • Only under exceptional circumstances will visits be allowed in other designated areas (e.g., client is too physically debilitated to go to visiting room).
  • Visits must be cancelled by 4 pm on Fridays. Visitors will be allowed to miss one schedule visit (without notification). Second occurrence (without notification) will result in three month suspension of visiting privileges. Individuals may visit only one visiting period per day.
  • The use of tobacco products is not allowed on Fulton State Hospital property.
  • The facility may request that a visitor provide updated demographic information, should a need for such be identified.
  • Due to safety and security concerns, a visitor may be barred at any time by the COO/designee without prior advance notice to the client or the visitor. Within 5 working days, the COO/designee will send a written notice to the visitor informing him/her of the reason for being barred.
  • A visitor who wishes to be removed from a client’s visiting list must request this in writing.

Hearnes Forensic Center

Visiting hours may vary according to ward or special needs of families. Generally, visiting hours are possible between the hours of 9 am to 8 pm Special arrangements may be made with individual treatment teams.

Adult visitors and children over the age of 12 may visit in “supervised privacy” situations on each of the three wards. Visits may occur in the room behind the fireplace on wards H01 and H03 with the door open. On H02 visits may occur in the TV/Visitor’s Room with the door open. Staff should monitor the visiting situation and if clinically indicated some measure of privacy may be offered.

Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult visitor. The responsible adult visitor must be with the child at all times. A minor child is never to be left with an individual alone or with staff alone without the presence of the accompanying adult visitor. Children who are 12 years of age or younger will only be allowed to visit in specified sites as listed below. Appropriate visiting areas for children under 12 will be in the Ritterbusch Building (family visiting area, Educational Conference Room). If uncertain about the child’s age, staff should treat the situation as though the child is 12 years of age or younger. A staff member must be in the room or just outside the doorway at all times when young children are visiting. There may be specific restrictions that would negate the appropriateness for young children to be visiting a particular consumer. If any difficulties occur related to child visits or management issues, the charge RN should be immediately contacted.