The mission of the California Department of State Hospitals (DSH) is to provide evaluation and treatment to patients in a safe and responsible manner, while seeking innovation and excellence in hospital operations across a continuum of care and settings.

DSH is comprised of five state hospital facilities and three psychiatric programs. DSH is responsible for the daily care and provision of mental health treatment of approximately 6,800 patients. DSH population is comprised of forensic and civilly committed patients.

The department has a related capital outlay program to support this need. For the specifics on the Department of State Hospitals' Capital Outlay Program see "Infrastructure Overview."