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

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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.

St 1978, c 552 (as amended by St 1979, c 795, s 4) abolished the department's Office of Social Services by transferring its functions of services to families, children, unmarried parents, the aging, and other adults and population groups with special needs to a new Dept. of Social Services, effective July 1980.

St 1995, c 5 renamed the department as the Dept. of Transitional Services, its mission being to assist low-income individuals and families to meet their basic needs, increase their incomes, and improve their quality of life.

NAME AUTHORITY NOTE. Series relating to the agency described above can be found by searching the following access point for the time period stated: 1919-1995--Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare.

From the description of Agency history record. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 145429356

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Records, 1812-1993 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Edward Thornton Hartman papers, 1904-1943, 1923-1943 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare. Public assistance policy statements, 1953-1962. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare. Memorandums to district directors, 1950-1958. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
referencedIn Papers of Martha May Eliot, 1898-1975 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn John Nolen papers, 1890-1938, 1954-1960. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn Hartman, Edward Thornton, 1869-. Edward Thornton Hartman papers, 1904-1943 (inclusive), 1923-1943 (bulk). Yale University Library
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare. Agency history record. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
referencedIn Brackett, Jeffrey Richardson, 1860-1949. Papers, 1728-1955 (bulk 1881-1949). Simmons College, Beatley Library
creatorOf Massachusetts Dept. of Public Welfare. Annual reports, 1899-1966. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts. Division of Public Assistance. Bureau of Public Assistance policy statements, 1943-1969. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
referencedIn Records, 1880- Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Papers, 1920-1953. Andover-Harvard Theological Library
referencedIn Fragment Society (Boston, Mass.). Records, 1812-1993 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare. Client case files, <1981>-[ongoing]. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare. Medical Assistance Program claims remittance advices, 1978. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare. Commissioner's internal correspondence, 1981-1987. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare. Denied applications, <1987>-[ongoing]. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare. District supervisors' minutes, 1939-1946. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare. Subject files, 1974-1984. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare. Commissioner's federal official correspondence, 1986. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare. Unpublished annual reports, 1939-1945. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
referencedIn North Bennet Street Industrial School (Boston, Mass.). Records, 1880-1973 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Arlington Street Church (Boston, Mass.). Records, 1927-1980. Andover-Harvard Theological Library
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare. Staff minutes of Worcester District, 1939-1953. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
referencedIn Nolen, John, 1869-1937. John Nolen papers, 1890-1938, 1954-1960. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Massachusetts. General Court. Special Commission on the Structure of the State Government. [Records] / Massachusetts General Court, Special Commission on the Structure of the State Government. State Library of Massachusetts
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare. Files of the Massachusetts Committee for the Midcentury White House Conference on Children and Youth, 1950. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Massachusetts. Dept. of Public Welfare. Memorandums to local boards of public welfare, 1936-1962. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
creatorOf Walter E. Fernald State School. Medicaid Office client eligibility survey forms, <1974>-[ongoing]. Commonwealth of Massachusetts State Archives
Role Title Holding Repository
Place Name Admin Code Country
Massachusetts MA US
Subject
Children
Children
Federal aid to public welfare
Health insurance
Medicaid
Public welfare
Public welfare administration
Occupation
Activity
Administering welfare services
Managing welfare services

Corporate Body

Establishment 1919

Disestablishment 1995

Americans

English

Information

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