When people talk about Pennsylvania prisons, they usually picture the towering stone walls of Eastern State or the high-tech lockdown of SCI Phoenix. SCI Laurel Highlands is different. Honestly, it’s a bit of an anomaly in the state system. Situated on the grounds of what used to be a state school and hospital in Somerset County, this facility handles a demographic that most prisons aren't equipped for: the old, the sick, and the dying.
It’s a medium-security facility, but the "security" part often feels secondary to the "infirmary" part. If you’re looking for a place where the typical prison tropes of yard fights and high-octane drama dominate, you’re looking at the wrong spot. Here, the hum of oxygen concentrators is just as common as the sound of heavy gates slamming shut.
What Actually Happens at SCI Laurel Highlands?
Most people don't realize that SCI Laurel Highlands functions as the primary skilled nursing facility for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC). It opened in 1996, taking over the old Somerset State Hospital. The transition from a mental health facility to a prison was a pragmatist's move by the state, but it created a unique environment.
You’ve got a massive population of "geriatric" inmates. In the world of corrections, "geriatric" usually starts at 50 or 55 because prison life ages a body twice as fast as the outside world. We’re talking about men with advanced stage cancer, end-stage renal failure, and dementia. It's a heavy place. It isn't just about punishment anymore; it's about managing the biological reality of aging behind bars.
The facility also houses a separate unit for the general population, but the heartbeat of the institution is the Long Term Care (LTC) unit. It provides 24-hour nursing care, which is incredibly expensive. According to various Pennsylvania DOC budget reports, the cost of housing an inmate at Laurel Highlands is significantly higher than at a "standard" prison because of the medical staffing requirements.
The Layout and Daily Life
Walking through the halls, it's sprawling. Because it was a hospital first, the architecture isn't the classic "hub and spoke" design you see in modern prisons. It’s got a campus feel, but with razor wire.
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The daily routine for a healthy inmate in the general population involves the usual: chow, work assignments, and yard time. But for the medical residents, life is dictated by medication passes and physical therapy. There are inmates who work as "support aids." These are able-bodied men who are trained to help the elderly or disabled inmates with basic tasks—helping them get to the dining hall, cleaning their areas, or just providing companionship. It’s a strange, sort of forced empathy that you don’t see in the maximum-security blocks of SCI Greene or SCI Rockview.
The Reality of Geriatric Care Behind Bars
Let’s be real: prison isn't designed for walkers and wheelchairs. SCI Laurel Highlands is the state's answer to the "graying" of the prison population.
As sentencing laws got tougher in the 80s and 90s, more people stayed in longer. Now, Pennsylvania is paying for it. It costs a fortune. Providing dialysis or chemotherapy within the walls of a prison involves a logistical nightmare of security clearances for outside contractors and specialized equipment.
- Dialysis Services: They have an on-site unit, which is a big deal. Transporting inmates to a community hospital three times a week is a security risk and a massive drain on officer overtime.
- Hospice Program: This is perhaps the most sobering part of SCI Laurel Highlands. They have a licensed hospice program. Inmates who are within six months of death and have a "Do Not Resuscitate" (DNR) order can be moved here.
- Dementia Care: Dealing with an inmate who doesn't remember why they are in prison is a growing challenge. It’s hard to maintain "discipline" when the person doesn't know where they are.
There's a lot of debate about compassionate release in Pennsylvania. Groups like the Abolitionist Law Center and the PA Prison Society often point to the men in Laurel Highlands as prime candidates for medical parole. They argue that a 75-year-old man who can't walk is hardly a threat to society. However, the legislative process for "compassionate release" in PA is notoriously strict, often requiring a person to be so close to death that they end up dying before the paperwork is even processed.
Misconceptions About "Club Fed" Vibes
You’ll hear people in the local Somerset area or even on social media call SCI Laurel Highlands a "nursing home for criminals" as if it’s some sort of luxury retreat. It isn't.
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It is still a prison.
The windows are barred. The movements are tracked. The food is standard DOC fare—lots of starches, mystery meats, and strictly controlled portions. You don't get a private room. You get a bunk or a hospital bed in a ward. The "nursing home" aspect just means you have a nurse checking your vitals instead of just a CO checking your cell. The psychological weight of knowing you will likely die in a converted hospital room without your family nearby is a specific kind of punishment that "regular" prison doesn't always capture.
The Impact on Somerset County
The prison is one of the major employers in the region. When the Somerset State Hospital closed, it was a blow to the local economy. Converting it to SCI Laurel Highlands saved hundreds of jobs.
It’s a "prison town" dynamic. You have generations of families working as Corrections Officers or in the administrative offices. This creates a weird tension. The community relies on the prison for its economic survival, but that means the community's well-being is tied to the continued incarceration of a sick and aging population.
The local hospitals also have a relationship with the facility. While Laurel Highlands does a lot in-house, emergency cases still go to outside trauma centers. If you’re at a local ER in Somerset or Johnstown, it’s not uncommon to see a patient shackled to a gurney with two armed guards standing by. It’s just part of the landscape there.
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Policy Shifts and the Future of the Facility
What happens next? The Pennsylvania DOC is under constant pressure to reduce costs. There’s a lingering question of whether centralized medical prisons like Laurel Highlands are the most "efficient" way to handle the problem.
Some advocates push for "Medical Parole" or "Geriatric Parole" which would shift these costs from the state prison budget to federal Medicaid (once the person is released and eligible). As of 2024 and 2025, several bills have floated through the Harrisburg legislature aiming to make this process easier. Until those pass, SCI Laurel Highlands remains the catch-all for the state’s most vulnerable inmates.
The facility also faces staffing shortages, much like the rest of the healthcare industry. Finding nurses who want to work in a correctional environment is tough. It takes a certain kind of person to provide end-of-life care to someone who might have committed a violent crime thirty years ago.
Navigating the System: Practical Information
If you have a family member at SCI Laurel Highlands, or if they are being transferred there, you need to be proactive.
- Medical Records: Ensure the DOC has a full history. Don't assume the records transferred perfectly from the previous facility.
- The PA Prison Society: This is a vital resource. They have official "visitors" who can check on inmates and provide independent reports on their well-being. If you’re worried about the quality of care, contact them.
- Video Visitation: Because SCI Laurel Highlands is somewhat isolated in the Laurel Highlands region, in-person visits are hard for families coming from Philly or Pittsburgh. Use the GTL/Viapath video visit system, but book early. They fill up fast because the demand for "face time" is high in a medical facility.
- Inmate Accounts: You still use JPay or ConnectNetwork to send money. Even in medical units, inmates like to buy their own soap or snacks from the commissary if they are able to eat solid food.
The reality of SCI Laurel Highlands is that it represents the most complicated intersection of the justice system and the healthcare system. It’s a place of quiet hallways and heavy medical needs, standing as a testament to the fact that while time may stop for no one, for some, it slows down significantly behind a chain-link fence.
Actionable Steps for Families and Advocates:
- Request a Medical Update: Under Pennsylvania DOC policy, you can be listed as a contact for medical emergencies. Ensure the facility's medical department has your current phone number and a signed "Release of Information" (ROI) form on file. Without that ROI, HIPAA laws will prevent staff from telling you anything about your loved one's condition.
- Monitor the Parole Board: If the inmate is nearing their minimum sentence or is incapacitated, start the dialogue with a specialized attorney or the PA Prison Society regarding the specific requirements for medical transfer or parole.
- Stay Informed on SB 835 or similar legislation: Keep track of Pennsylvania Senate and House bills related to geriatric parole. These legislative changes are the only way the population at Laurel Highlands will ever significantly shift.
- Verify Visitation Status: Before driving to Somerset, always check the DOC’s "Inmate Locator" and the facility’s specific visitation status. Medical units can go on localized lockdowns for health reasons (like a flu or COVID-19 outbreak) much faster than a standard block.