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Archiver > APG > 2008-12 > 1228339324


From: "Pat Buchannon" <>
Subject: Re: [APG] Mental Hospitals and records
Date: Wed, 3 Dec 2008 15:22:04 -0600
References: <001501c9556f$33e58360$5f02a8c0@GRANDMAS>
In-Reply-To: <001501c9556f$33e58360$5f02a8c0@GRANDMAS>


In West TN, we have an institution called the Western Mental Health
Institute (formerly known as Western State Mental Hospital.) My
great-grandfather was a patient there for unknown reasons and died while
institutionalized. I was recently researching for a family of adoptees
whose father was also a patient at this hospital. I called to try and
obtain records on both family searches and was shocked when I was told that
they kept records for 25 years only. After that, they are destroyed. I was
further informed that even if the records still existed I would have to have
a court order and proof of kinship to obtain any record. I suppose I'll
never know what happened to my great-grandfather, nor the adoptees their
father.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Kate Foote" <>
To: "'Rebecca Rector'" <>; <>
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 11:47 AM
Subject: Re: [APG] Mental Hospitals and records


Rebecca,

What an enlightening and sad story is told on the website for "The Lives
they left behind: Suitcases from a State Hospital Attic",
www.suitcaseexhibit.org. I spent a long time following the links: viewing
the photos, reading the biographies, etc. I must admit that I was only able
to listen to about half of the recorded interviews - it was just too
depressing and sorrowful.

I have not had an occasion to research in mental institutions so this entire
thread has been a learning experience for me. Thank you for posting the
link for the story about Willard Psychiatric - I am adding the book to my
Christmas list.

Regards,
Kate


> -----Original Message-----
> From: [mailto:] On Behalf
Of
> Rebecca Rector
> Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2008 2:14 PM
> To: apg List
> Subject: [APG] Mental Hospitals and records
>
>
> A book was recently published about Willard Psychiatric Center in upstate
NY: "The Lives
> they left behind: Suitcases from a State Hospital attic" by Darby Penney
and Peter Stastny.
> When the hospital closed in 1995, hundreds of patient suitcases were
found in the attic. The
> book highlights the stories of about 15 patients (real names were
not used). It's fascinating.
> It also became an exhibit at the NYS Museum in Albany. Here is a link to
the exhibit, the
> book, and information about the hospital, including the cemetery (mostly
buried by
> numbers, but there are some names) www.suitcaseexhibit.org
> To get access to records of mental hospitals in NY, one needs to
determine what
> institution is currently housing the records, then write to that
institution. There is a board or
> committee which decides if access will be allowed (this process can take a
long time). I
> believe one must be a direct descendant, but access still may be denied.
I found a 2005
> website about Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center becoming the records
center, but I can't
> find anything more up to date.
> Rebecca
>
> Rebecca Rector, MLS
> RbInfo Research
> Troy, NY
> www.rbinforesearch.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
> .
>
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