Alabama. Dept. of Mental Health and Mental Retardation (1984- ).

Authorites:

Alabama Government Manual. Sixth edition. Atlanta: Darby Printing Company.

Alabama Official and Statistical Register, 1979. Montgomery: Skinner Printing Company, 1979.

Code of Alabama 1958, Title 45, Sec. 189-230. Charlottesville: The Michie Company, 1959.

Code of Alabama 1975, 22:50:1-22:50:62. Charlottesville: The Michie Company, 1977.

Markley, Anne Ethelyn. Author Headings of the Official Publications of the State of Alabama. Chicago: American Library Association, 1948.

Annual Reports, Dept. of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, 1969-85, Montgomery.

1965 Sept. the Legislature established the Dept. of Mental Health. Earlier, care had been provided for the state's mentally ill by the Ala. Insane Hospital (1852-1900), the Ala. Insane Hospitals (1900-1940), and the State Hospitals (1940-1965). The legislative act of 1965 is significant in that it consolidated the care provided the mentally ill with treatment programs for the mentally retarded and alcoholic citizens of Ala.

Management of the Dept. was the responsibility of the Ala. Mental Health Board. The Board was composed of the Governor and a board of trustees: the seven member Board of Trustees that had managed the Ala. State Hospitals, three members nominated by the State Committee of Public Health, and three members nominated by the Legislative Interim Committee on Mental Health and Retardation. Seven members of the board were required to be licensed physicians, and at least one of them a qualified psychiatrist.

The Board of Trustees of the Ala. State Hospitals, the Board of Managers for Partlow State School and Hospital, the Commission on Alcoholism, and the Division of Mental Health Planning and the Division of Mental Hygiene of the State Board of Health were abolished effective 1965 Oct. 1. The Ala. State Hospitals and Partlow State School and Hospital became subject to the jurisdiction and control of the Ala. Mental Health Board.

All duties, responsibilities, authority, power, assets, and property rights of the abolished agencies were vested in the Ala. Mental Health Board.

The Board was authorized to provide for the people of Ala. mental health services: diagnosis of, treatment of, rehabilitation for, follow-up care of, prevention of, and research into the causes of all forms of mental or emotional illness, alcoholism, drug addiction, epilepsy, or mental retardation.

The Board was authorized to set up State plans to control and treat mental and emotional illness, and to divide the State into regions, districts, areas, or zones for administrative purposes.

It was the responsibility of the State Mental Health Board to develop programs for the care of aged patients and to operate nursing homes for the elderly according to standards established by the State Board of Health. The Mental Health Board was authorized to transfer geriatric patients to private nursing homes if such action proved to be in the public interest.

The Board was authorized to purchase or lease land or acquire property by eminent domain, or to transfer land, buildings, or equipment in order to carry out its duties.

The Board was authorized to establish minimum standards for the construction and operation of facilities, and to inspect any institution under its jurisdiction.

Employees of the Dept. of Mental Health were subject to the rules and regulations of the State Merit System, except those employed as physicians, surgeons, psychiatrists, psychologists, dentists, social workers, nurses, and attorneys.

The executive officer of the Dept. was known as the State Mental Health Officer, appointed by the Mental Health Board, which fixed his salary and term of office. It was his responsibility to appoint all officers and employees of the Board and fix their salaries; to exercise the powers of the Board when it was not in session; and to carry out the Board's policies. (Acts of Ala. 1965, No. 881)

In 1965 the Dept. of Mental Health was composed of the following divisions:

Alabama. Dept. of Mental Health. Division of Hospitals.

Authority: Ala. Government Manual. Birmingham; Commerical Printing Company, 1967.

The Board of Trustees of the Ala. State Hospitals and the Board of Managers for the Partlow State School and Hospital having been abolished and their functions transferred to the Mental Health Board, the operation and organization of the State mental hospitals did not otherwise change.

The Superintendent of the Ala. State Hospitals continued to administer the hospitals, although after 1965 he functioned under the supervision of the State Mental Health Officer and the Mental Health Board. He appointed assistant superintendents of Bryce, Searcy, and Partlow Hospitals.

Bryce Hospital functioned through the following departments: Medical and Surgical, Laboratory and X-ray, Psychology, Social Service, Vocational Rehabilitation, Nursing, Education, Religious, Patient Activity, Business, Medical Records, Information and Public Relations, Food Service, Mechanical, and Farm. It also provided dental and podiatry clinics.

Searcy Hosptial was organized in the following departments: Medical and Surgical, Laboratory and X-ray, Social Service, Psychology, Mechanical, and Recreation.

Partlow operated through the following departments: Medical and Surgical, Laboratory, X-ray, Educational, Psychology, Nursing, Dietary, Social Service, Vocational Rehabilitation, Religious, Mechanical, Farm, and the Dental Clinic.

The Division of Hospitals received federal funds as well as State appropriations from the General Fund and the Ala. Special Mental Health Fund, gifts and grants, patients' board and other hospital charges, and money from the sale of farm products.

Alabama. Dept. of Mental Health. Division of Alcoholism.

Authority: Ala. Government Manual, 1967, pp. 166-167.

The Division was headed by a Director appointed by the Board without regard to the provisions of the Merit System. The Division was required to educate the public with regard to dealing with alcoholism as a disease: to inform the public of the economic loss, moral degradation, and the effect on human behavior caused by the continuous and excessive use of alcohol.

The Division prepared and administered programs for the rehabilitation of alcoholics, and established outpatient clinics to provide limited care and treatment for alcoholics. The Division carried out research programs concerned with predicting the response of alcoholics to treatment. Clinics and treatment centers were located at Birmingham, Decatur, Mobile, Montgomery, and Opelika.

The Division collected fees from patients and received biennial appropriations from the Alcoholic Beverages Control Fund.

Alabama. Dept. of Mental Health. Division of Community Services.

Authority: Ala. Government Manual, 1967, pp. 167-168.

The Division of Community Services was formerly known as the Division of Mental Hygiene, Dept. of Public Health. The Division contracted with local non-profit agencies to operate mental health clinics at Shawmut, Tuscumbia, Andalusia, Selma, Gadsden, Dothan, Birmingham, Florence, Opelika, Tuskegee Institute, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, Decatur, Troy, Phenix City, Talladega, Sylacauga, Tuscaloosa, and the University of Ala. The Division also conducted research relating to mental health treatment.

Alabama. Dept. of Mental Health. Division of Mental Health Planning.

Authority: Ala. Government Manual, 1967, p. 168.

Prior to 1965 the Division operated within the Dept. of Public Health. Within the Dept. of Mental Health it was responsible for preparing a State Master Plan for Mental Health.

Alabama. Dept. of Mental Health. Legal Division.

Authority: Ala. Government Manual, 1982, p. 261.

The Division, under the direction of an assistant attorney general, conducted the legal affairs of the Dept. and the Board. It provided legal assistance to persons claiming to be damaged by decisions of Dept. employees.

1968 Oct. the Division of Alcoholism was merged with the Division of Community Services and a Division of Mental Retardation was established. (Dept. Annual Report, 1969-70, p. 16)

1969 Feb. the Federal Court ordered the Dept. to desegregate its three hospitals, Bryce, Searcy, and Partlow. This was accomplished by 1970 Dec. (Dept. Annual Report, 1969-70, p. 16)

1970 Oct. a class action suit filed in Federal Court, Wyatt vs. Stickney, which named Bryce Hospital Superintendent and the Mental Health Board as defendants, alleged that patients committed by court to Bryce for treatment were actually not being given treatment and were thus being held in defiance of their civil rights. Federal Judge Frank M. Johnson, Jr. ordered the defendants to file with the court a specific plan for the appropriate treatment of mental health patients at the hospital. The plan submitted was rejected by the court and public hearings were scheduled. (Dept. Annual Report 1969-1970, p. 16)

1972 Feb., Wyatt vs. Stickney came to trial in Federal Court at Montgomery. On Feb. 29, Judge Johnson passed down an emergency edict for upgrading facilities and services at Partlow. A large percentage of the staff of the central office of the Dept. moved immediately from Montgomery to Tuscaloosa and began working to comply with the judge's order. In mid-March Johnson rendered his decision on Bryce, Partlow, and Searcy which called for substantial increases in staff, particularly in the professional category, and several other instructions guaranteeing patients their rights. (Dept. Annual Report, 1971-72, p. 27)

1974 Dec. a decision was rendered in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District, North Ala., by a three-judge panel in the case of Lynch vs. Baxley, in which the plaintiff sued on behalf of herself and other involuntary civilly committed patients challenging the constitutionality of Ala.'s civil commitment statutes. The Court found the Ala. civil commitment statutes unconstitutional and established minimum constitutional criteria necessary for involuntary civil commitment.

Additionally, the Dept. was ordered to conduct recommitment hearings for all persons within the Mental Health system who had been previously committed. As a result of this order, the Dept. conducted more than 2,000 probate court remedial hearings between May 1 and Sept. 29, 1975. Subsequently, more than 1,200 patients were recommitted to the custody of the Dept. More than seven hundred were committed to the temporary custody of the Dept. pending transfer to a less restrictive alternative. (Dept. Annual Report, 1974-75, p. 24)

1980 Jan. Gov. Fob James asked for and was appointed by the Federal District Court for the Middle District of Ala., receiver for the Dept. of Mental Health to see that the Dept.'s efforts to meet the federal court-ordered standards were given the priorities they deserved. (Dept. Annual Report, 1979-80, p. 5)

1984 May the Legislature reorganized the Dept. of Mental Health, naming it the Dept. of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. The Dept. is supervised by a Board of Trustees composed of the Governor, the Commissioner of Mental Health and Mental Retardation, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the Ala. House of Representatives - all of whom serve as ex-officio members - and twelve members appointed by the Governor, one from each of the congressional districts and the remainder from the State at large. One of the State-at-large positions is selected from nominations from the Mental Health Association of Ala. All appointed trustees are required to have demonstrated a concern for the programs and services provided by the Dept. and should represent a balance of primary interest areas or expertise.

The Governor serves as chairman of the Board of Trustees and the Dept. Commissioner as secretary. Appointed members serve three-year terms and receive one hundred dollars per day and mileage expenses while attending meetings or engaged in Board duties.

The basis functions of the Dept. remained fairly consistent with those set forth in the legislation of 1965 which established the Dept. of Mental Health, except for the greater emphasis given to the care and treatment of the mentally retarded. (Acts of Ala. 1982, No. 242)

As of 1985, the Dept. of Mental Health and Mental Retardation was composed of the following divisions:

Alabama. Dept. of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Division of Mental Illness Services.

Authority: Annual Report, 1984-85, pp. 9-16.

The Division is supervised by an Associate Commissioner for Mental Illness and operates seven residential treatment facilities: Bryce Hospital in Tuscaloosa, Greil Hospital in Montgomery, Searcy Hospital in Mt. Vernon, North Ala. Regional Hospital in Decatur, Thomasville Adult Adjustment Center, Eufaula Adolescent Center, and the Taylor Hardin Secure Medical Facility in Tuscaloosa.

Alabama. Dept. of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Division of Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Community Programs.

Authority: Annual Report, 1984-85, pp. 17-18.

This Division has the responsibility for the development and coordination of a comprehensive system of community treatment and prevention of mental illness, alcoholism and drug abuse problems. This responsibility include contracting for services with local providers and monitoring of service contracts, the evaluation and certification of service programs according to minimal standards, and the development of needed services.

Alabama. Dept. of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Division of Community Mental Health Centers.

Authority: Annual Report, 1984-85, pp. 18-27.

The twenty-four Community Mental Health Centers and their satellite programs enable Alabamians to have comprehensive services immediately accessible in their local communities. The centers are private non-profit organizations, operated by their regional local governing bodies. The centers are: Riverbend Center, for Colbert, Franklin, and Lauderdale Counties; North Central Ala. Mental Health Center, for Lawrence, Limestone, Morgan, and Cullman Counties; Huntsville-Madison County Mental Health Center; Northwest Ala. Mental Health Center, for Fayette, Lamar, Marion, Walker, and Winston Counties; Jefferson-Blount-St. Clair Mental Health/Mental Retardation Authority;

Eastside Mental Health Center, Inc., for Blount Co.; UAB Comprehensive Community Mental Health Center, Birmingham; Western Mental Health Center, Jefferson Co.; Cherokee-Etowah-DeKalb Mental Health Center; Calhoun-Clebourne Mental Health Center; Indian Rivers Mental Health Center, for Bibb, Pickens, and Tuscaloosa Counties; Cheaha Mental Health Center, for Clay, Coosa, Randolph, and Talladega Counties; West Ala. Mental Health Center, for Choctaw, Greene, Hale, Marengo, and Sumter Counties; Chilton-Shelby Mental Health Center; East Ala. Mental Health-Mental Retardation Center, for Chambers, Lee, Tallapoosa, and Russell Counties; Cahaba Regional Mental Health/Mental Retardation Center, for Dallas, Perry, and Wilcox Counties;

Montgomery Area Mental Health Authority, for Montgomery, Autauga, Elmore, and Lowndes Counties; East Central Mental Health-Mental Retardation, Inc., for Bullock, Macon, and Pike Counties; Mobile Mental Health Center, Inc., for Mobile and Washington Counties; Southwest Ala. Mental Health/Mental Retardation Center, for Clarke, Conecuh, Escambia, and Monroe Counties; South Central Ala. Mental Health Center, for Butler, Coffee, Covington, and Crenshaw Counties; Wiregrass Mental Health System, for Dale, Geneva, Houston, Henry, and Barbour Counties; Marshall-Jackson Mental Health Center; and Baldwin Co. Mental Health/Mental Retardation Center.

Alabama. Dept. of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Mental Retardation Services.

Authority: Annual Report, 1984-85, p. 28.

The Division operates five centers offering regionally-based services for developmentally disabled persons, including residential services, contractural services, diagnosis and evaluation, in-service training, respite services, home training and community placement. The centers are: the Lurleen B. Wallace Developmental Center in Decatur, Partlow State School and Hosptial in Tuscaloosa, the Albert P. Brewer Developmental Center in Mobile, the J.S. Tarwater Developmental Center in Wetumpka, and the Glenn Ireland, II Developmental Center near Birmingham.

Alabama. Dept. of Mental Health and Retardation. Administration and Personnel.

Authority: Annual Report, 1984-85, pp. 35-37.

The Division contains: the Personnel Services Section, which works in conjuction with the State Personnel Dept. to coordinate management efforts within the Dept.; the Grants and Special Projects Section, which supervises the development of numerous grants involving the Dept.'s facilities, community programs, and various state agencies, and is involved in the formulation of management studies to assist community programs in administrative efficiency and marketing strategies; and the Human Resource Development Section, which provides statewide training and continuing education activities.

Alabama. Dept. of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Technical Services Division.

Authority: Annual Report, 1984-85, p. 36.

The Division provides assistance in the areas of certification, engineering/maintenance and overseeing the capital construction improvements throughout the State. It prepares architectural/engineering design development for new construction and renovation of institutional and non-institutional mental retardation/mental illness facilities to ensure that the projects meet standards set forth by the Court Order, Title XIX, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH) Guidelines, National Fire Protection Codes, and all state, federal, and local building codes.

Alabama. Dept. of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Division of Finance.

Authority: Annual Report, 1984-85, pp. 36-37.

The Division is responsible for coordinating/providing centralized accounting and financial services for the Dept. in accordance with the numerous federal, State, and Dept. statutes, policies, and procedures.

Alabama. Dept. of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Division of Data Management.

Authority: Annual Report, 1984-85, p. 37.

The Division provides data processing and statistical analysis services for standardized departmental systems. It provides an interface between the State Finance Dept.'s Data Systems Management Division and the Dept. of Mental Health/Mental Retardation facilities in order to comply with State requirements regarding the use of computers by State agencies.

Aalbama. Dept. of Mental Health and Mental Retardation. Division of Legal Services.

The Division is currently representing the Dept. in several lawsuits in the State. The suits involve such issues as the administration of psychotropic medication, trial visit of patients, the jurisdiction of the Juvenile Court, and whether meetings between the Dept. and the Union are subject to the Ala. Sunshine Law.

1986 Sept. the federal court-ordered supervision of the Dept. was terminated, thus ending the receivership of the Dept. by the office of the Governor.

From the description of Agency history record. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 145408154