Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare (1915-1995)

St 1919, c 350, s 87 abolished the Massachusetts State Board of Charity and the Homestead Commission, establishing the Dept. of Public Welfare as their successor. Initially the department was organized into the Division of Aid and Relief (succeeding the Division of State Adult Poor) which oversaw the unsettled poor, and relief provided by municipal public welfare authorities; the Division of Child Guardianship (succeeding the Division of State Minor Wards) responsible for the care, custody, and maintenance of state minor wards who were largely placed in foster family homes, with state agents providing investigation and visitation to ensure care of the children; and the Division of Juvenile Training (s 91) which per St 1948, c 310, s 23 was replaced outside the department by the Youth Service Board. Two other divisions not named in the statute were: Private Charities, and Housing and Town Planning (which was empowered to purchase land, build houses, and sell to citizens at not less than cost, and to advise local planning boards). At the time of its inception the department had jurisdiction over the following state institutions: State Infirmary (Tewksbury), Almshouse Dept. at the State Farm (Bridgewater), Massachusetts Hospital School for crippled children (Canton); and the three industrial training schools for juvenile delinquents: Lyman School (Westborough), Industrial School for Boys (Shirley), and Industrial School for Girls (Lancaster). St 1952, c 602 (effective 1953) replaced the Division of Aid and Relief with the Division of Public Assistance.

St 1967, c 658 (effective July 1968) codified the Dept. of Public Welfare's role in providing a comprehensive public welfare program for Massachusetts, abolishing city and town boards of public welfare. St 1969, c 704, s 16 placed the department within the Executive Office of Human Services; St 1969, c 885 (effective Feb. 1971) mandated departmental reorganization under assistant commissioners for administration, field operations, social services, and medical assistance.

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