Penmate Inmate Support Guides

What Families Should Know About SCI Benner Township's Mental-Health Designation and Specialized Units

If your loved one is at SCI Benner Township, understanding the facility's mental-health designation and specialized units can make a real difference. It helps you know what questions to ask when you call, and who to ask for.

• 3 min read Verified from official sources

SCI Benner Township is designated as a Mental health Stability Code D facility. What does that mean for you? The state has identified this institution as one with a mental-health stability focus. You'll likely hear mental-health related terms and unit names come up when you ask where someone is housed or what services they're receiving.

Specialized Units List

  • ✓ Special needs unit
  • ✓ Restricted housing unit
  • ✓ Residential treatment unit
  • ✓ Diversionary treatment unit
  • ✓ The facility reports having 10 housing units total

Note: These unit names are the facility's listed special features. The names alone won't tell you the day-to-day rules, schedules, or eligibility requirements. You'll still want to confirm specifics directly with SCI Benner Township.

A Mental health Stability Code D designation, combined with the facility's listed special features (including a Special needs unit and treatment-focused units), tells you this institution expects to manage mental-health needs as part of its overall mission. In practical terms, your loved one may be housed in one of these specialized areas, or their movement between units could be tied to treatment needs and safety decisions. When you're trying to plan contact, visits, or outside support, the best first step is usually confirming the exact housing unit and then asking what rules apply to it.

Confirm details: Visitation rules, call access, treatment schedules, and family participation expectations can all vary by unit and circumstance. The only reliable way to get current rules for a specific person is to verify them directly with the facility.

  1. Call SCI Benner Township and confirm housing. Ask which unit your loved one is currently assigned to and whether that unit has any special procedures that affect visits or communication. The main phone number listed is 814-353-3630.
  2. Ask for the right point of contact. Request to be routed to the contact who can answer unit-specific questions (for example, the housing unit staff point of contact or mental-health services contact).
  3. Write down what you’re told. Record the unit name, the staff member’s name, and any next-step instructions so you do not have to start over on your next call.
  4. Use the correct addresses when you need them. The facility’s physical address is 301 Institution Drive, Bellefonte, PA 16823. For mail, the listed mailing address uses Smart Communications: SCI Benner PA - Smart Communications, P.O. Box 33028, St Petersburg, FL 33733.
  • ✓ Which unit is my loved one in right now (Special needs unit, restricted housing unit, residential treatment unit, diversionary treatment unit, or another unit)?
  • ✓ Does their current unit have different visitation procedures or restrictions than general population units?
  • ✓ Who is the best contact for questions about that unit (a unit manager, counselor, or mental-health services point of contact)?
  • ✓ Are there specific times staff can share general information, and what information can be shared with family?
  • ✓ If they are in the Special needs unit, what are the general expectations for communication and support from family?
  • ✓ If they are in the restricted housing unit, what are the current rules that affect visiting and phone access?
  • ✓ If they are in the residential treatment unit, how does participation affect movement, routine, or eligibility to transfer to another unit?
  • ✓ If they are in the diversionary treatment unit, what is the goal of the placement and what typically triggers a transfer out?
  • ✓ What is the process for updating an approved visitor list, and does the current unit change who can visit?
  • ✓ If a transfer between units happens, how (and when) are families typically notified, if at all?

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