The Psychiatric Ward, or "psych" as the inmates call it, is a separate housing unit in Litchfield. Typically, inmates are sent there when they exhibit psychotic or dangerous behaviors. The ward does not actually provide sufficient care; rather, inmates are usually drugged or chained to beds and locked in small cells. In many ways, psych is similar to the SHU, but is known as much more difficult to get out of. In Season 7, Linda Ferguson shut down Psych in order to cut costs for PolyCon Corrections. The Psych inmates were transferred to the Maximum Security facility, with most being housed in B-Block due to their vulnerable status. Warden Tamika Ward set up a chicken coop program to help with the integration of former Psych inmates into the general prison population.
Known inmates who have been to psych include:
- Suzanne Warren, whose parents have an agreement with the warden that allows her to be placed back with the general inmate population.
- Tiffany Doggett, who was placed in Psych in Season One for assaulting a teenage girl in a wheelchair whilst attempting to "faith-heal" her, was released when it came to light that the situation had occurred because of an elaborate underhand scheme orchestrated by Chapman and Alex Vause, among others, to convince Doggett that she actually possessed the ability to heal people.
- Blanca Flores too has been in and out of Psych, although it has not yet been explained why.
- Lolly Whitehill was placed in Psych after being wrongly accused of killing CO Aydin.
- Maria Ruiz was briefly sent to Psych in Season Six after nearly being drowned in a toilet, as the guards assumed it was a suicide attempt.