CONCORD — The New Hampshire State Prison opened a new wing Wednesday providing 40 beds for prisoners with mental health issues — complying with a federal court order issued five years ago.

The Residential Treatment Unit (RTU) has 20 cells with two beds in each and is for mentally ill inmates unable to function within the general prison population.

Jeff Lyons, corrections spokesman, said previously those prisoners were housed with those civilly committed to the Secured Psychiatric Unit (SPU).

The federal order, known as the 2007 Holliday Court order, required the state to provide 40 RTU beds and maintain 30 beds in SPU.

In 2009, the state Legislature allocated $3.3 million for the project, which came in under budget at $2.8 million, according to corrections spokesman Jeff Lyons.

Now, Lyons said, there are a total of 100 beds, 40 designated for those with mental health issues and 60 for SPU. He explained that previously, there was no separate unit for those particular prisoners who were put in SPU.

Presently, he said there are 57 prisoners confined to RTU and SPU, but he expects more prisoners, given their diagnoses, will be moved from other areas of the prison and into the RTU.

The RTU is for inmates suffering significant functional impairment due to documented mental illness. Inmates who are assessed, diagnosed, and placed in the RTU receive intensive services unavailable in the department's regular mental health outpatient programs.

An individualized treatment plan is implemented by a staff psychiatrist and other mental health clinicians assigned to the unit.

Renovations also were completed for staff offices, dayrooms, counseling space, and handicap showers. A new stairwell was added in the prison's South Yard for improved maintenance access to the roof and mechanical areas.

Partition walls were put in place to create two additional treatment rooms. Therapy booths for group counseling and functions were built in a day room. Outdoor concrete slabs also were added to the South and North Yards adjacent to the construction wing for better security management.

“This new wing will allow the department to provide much-needed services to appropriate offenders while promoting a safe and secure environment,” said Commissioner William L. Wrenn.