Except for legal guardians, family and friends wanting to visit a patient in person or virtually must first fill out and submit a visitor application*. This includes completing a criminal background check for adults. An application is required for each person wanting to visit. There is a separate application for minors younger than 18 years of age.
The application process includes reviews by the hospital’s Security Department for security concerns by and the patient’s treatment team for any therapeutic concerns. If approved by the treatment team, the patient will make the final decision to approve or deny the application.
Please allow five business days from the date your application is received by the hospital to complete the approval process. Notification may take longer if you request communication through mail. If you have questions about the status of your application, please contact
OSH Ombuds and Family Services.
You will be notified by letter, email, or phone of your application’s approval or denial. Approved applicants will receive information about the visitation scheduling process and visitation rules.
If your application is denied you can immediately appeal the decision by contacting the OSH Ombuds office. Your appeal should include a written statement explaining why you believe the denial should be reversed. Depending on the nature of the denial, you may also re-apply after 30 days from the date of your denial.
Preparing for your visit
Virtual Visitation
OSH offers Microsoft Teams virtual visits for all patients who are interested. To participate in a virtual visit with a patient, you must be an approved visitor. Patients can request a virtual visit with staff on their unit. Staff will email the visitor a link to the virtual visitation “room” in advance of the visit.
View a tip sheet for Microsoft Teams.In Person Visitation
Due to space and staffing limitations, in-person visits must be scheduled in advance. Approved visitors can schedule their visit by calling 503-945-2800 in Salem and 541-465-2554 in Junction City. Please have a few different dates and times in mind, in case your first choice is not available.
Scheduling
To schedule an in-person visit, you must be an approved visitor. You can find visitor applications here. To find out if you are an approved visitor, please call OSH reception in Salem at 503-945-2800 and at 541-465-2554 in Junction City.
Once approved, call OSH reception in Salem or Junction City to schedule your visit. Reception staff will ask you for the following information:
- The name of the person you want to visit
- The names of all visitors planning to attend, including any minors
- Your email address and phone number, in case we need to reschedule visits for any reason
- Your preferred visitation date and time, with alternatives if your preferred time is not available. See the visitation schedule for more information.
If you need to cancel or modify your visit, call the reception numbers provided above. Modifications are dependent upon staff and space availability.
Staff will notify you if a patient declines to visit.
Property, prohibited items and contraband
Property
OSH is required to keep patients safe. One way we are doing this is to ensure all patient property is approved for use in our secure psychiatric environment. As a result, visitors may not bring items to give to their loved ones during a visit or send packages through the mail. During a visit, visitors can buy items on a patient’s approved order form from the OSH Market.
Prohibited Items and Contraband
To provide a safe environment for patients, staff and visitors, certain items are not allowed in the hospital. These items are called either called "prohibited" or “Contraband."
"Contraband" means any item not permitted on OSH grounds, including, but not limited to:
- Weapons, controlled substances, marijuana, and products containing marijuana, things used to take drugs, illegal substances, lighters, or things used to start fires, and explosives.
- Anything that could harm patients or others.
- Anything that violates the hospital's infection control requirements, such as pets and non-commercially packaged foods and beverages
- Anything that's illegal
“Prohibited item" means an item that could possibly be used to hurt someone. Prohibited items include, but are not limited to things like:
- Aerosol spray cans
- Glass
- Safety pins
- Electrical cords, including chargers of any kind
Visitors who bring contraband or prohibited items into the hospital may be restricted from current and future visits.
Visitation schedule
Click here for the regular visitation schedule.
Click here for information about OSH observed holidays and holiday visitation schedules.
Child visits
Child visits are scheduled for specific times and locations (
see Visitation schedule). Children younger than 18 are allowed to visit when:
- The child's legal parent or guardian has completed a minor visitor application, which OSH has approved
- The child is always accompanied by an approved adult visitor
- During child visits, each patient is allowed two adult visitors with no limit on the number of children. Child visits are scheduled separately from adult visits.
Special arrangements
Requests for a special arrangement during a visit must be made in advance by contacting your loved one's unit or by contacting OSH Ombuds and Family Services. Approval depends on space and staff availability and the nature of the request.
Pictures
You can arrange to have photos taken with your loved one during a visit*. Due to privacy and confidentiality concerns, this does require approval prior to your visit. Please contact your loved one's unit or OSH Ombuds and Family Services to make this arrangement.
Health and wellness
To help support the health of all OSH patients, staff and visitors, we ask that you refrain from visiting if you are feeling unwell. We encourage all visitors to get an annual flu shot and to use OSH hand hygiene stations in the lobbies before and after visitation. Covering coughs and sneezes is encouraged, as well. If OSH requires visitors to wear a face mask, the hospital will provide them.
OSH may occasionally close a unit when there is a high level of any contagious illness. When this happens, the hospital will post information on this website and at the OSH Reception desk.
The day of your visit
Please plan to arrive 10-15 minutes before your scheduled visit. This will allow for time to check in and go through the security-screening process. Please consider leaving personal items either at home or in your locked vehicle.
Upon your arrival:
- Check in with Reception at the main entrance.
Security staff will ask you to store all personal property — including cell phones, purses, and bags — in provided lockers. You may keep cash or a debit card for purchases in the café and market.
- In Salem, before entering the visitation area, Security staff will wave a metal detector around your body. Junction City visitors will pass through a metal detector. If the metal detector is activated, staff may ask you to remove other items of clothing (such as a belt) or to empty your pockets.
- Staff will walk you to the visitation area.
Brief greetings, farewell embraces and kisses are permitted. Please refrain from other types of physical contact.
Visitor Guidelines/Rules
Visitor attire:
Please know that some patients may react to revealing clothing or images that promote the use of violence, drugs, or alcohol. For their well-being and safety — as well as for the security of staff and other visitors — we ask that you dress for the hospital environment. Clothing should include a dress or a shirt with either a skirt, pants, or shorts. Visitors should also wear shoes or sandals.
Inappropriate visitation attire for visitors includes, but is not limited to:
- Camouflage or military-type clothing, except as approved in advance by OSH.
- Clothing with words or logos related to alcohol, tobacco products, drugs, vulgarity, violence, bigotry, sexual connotations, or those containing allusion to any of these items.
- Clothing that may be considered provocative, including, but not limited to, see-through, skin-tight, or low-cut clothing and/or clothing that exposes undergarments, back, midriff, or thighs at any time (i.e., while sitting, standing, or bending over).
- Excessively short skirts or shorts.
- Hats or other head coverings which obstruct facial features; and
- Shoes or accessories that might be a safety hazard, including anything that may be used as a weapon or ligature device.
Purchasing from the Market
Visitors may purchase items in the patient Market from a patient’s approved Market order form. To purchase items in this way, please note the following:
- Patients must submit their Market order form for staff approval at least 24 hours before their scheduled visit.
- Staff will verify that the patient has room to store the items and that the items are approved for the specific patient.
- The patient must bring their approved Market order form to their visit.
- Items must be paid for using the visitor’s money and will remain with security staff to be delivered to the patient’s unit after their visit.