Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.)

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By act of the legislature passed on April 30, 1864, the secretary of the State Medical Society, Dr. Sylvester D. Willard, was authorized to investigate the condition of the insane poor in the various poorhouses, almshouses, insane asylums, and other institutions throughout the state (except those required by law to report to the legislature), and to transmit the acquired information to county judges in the state. Each judge then appointed a physician to visit the institutions where the insane poor were kept, to examine their condition and treatment. Secretary Willard then reported the results of these inspections to the legislature. He died before passage of a law creating a new institution for the insane, but his work was recognized by naming the facility in his honor.

Chapter 342 of the Laws of 1865 authorized establishment of this state asylum for the chronic insane and for the better care of the insane poor, to be known as the Willard Asylum for the Insane. The board of trustees was organized on May 15, 1869, succeeding to the duties and powers of the commissioners and former trustees previously charged with building the asylum at the State Agricultural College Farm at Ovid, Seneca County. The asylum was modeled on the State Lunatic Asylum at Utica, which had been organized nearly two decades earlier (Chapter 135 of the Laws of 1842). Subsequent legislation appointed successors to the Willard Asylum trustees (Laws of 1869, Chapter 822), and provided appropriations for salaries, fixed the rate for patients' board, and set the terms of the trustees (Laws of 1872, Chapter 541).

Operation, oversight, care and treatment, and reporting requirements were governed by Chapter 446 of the Laws of 1874, which revised and consolidated statutes regarding the care and custody of the insane, management of asylums (including Willard) for their treatment and safekeeping, and the duties of the State Commissioner in Lunacy. Later the sweeping "Insanity Law" of 1896 (Chapter 545) pertained. The institution was renamed the Willard State Hospital according to Chapter 132 of the Laws of 1890. State hospitals for the care and custory of the insane were supported from patients. Managers were appointed by the governor with consent of the senate.

The facility became Willard Psychiatric Center according to Chapter 558 of the Laws of 1974. That law established, within the Department of Mental Hygiene, hospitals constituting psychiatric in-patient facilities for the care and treatment of the mentally disabled, and for research and teaching in the science and skills required for their care and treatment. Willard Psychiatric Center was closed on May 1, 1995. Staff and services were transferred to the Binghamton Psychiatric Center. Initial plans projected eventual takeover by the Department of Correctional Services and conversion of the facility into a drug treatment center.

From the New York State Archives, Cultural Education Center, Albany, NY. Agency record NYSV1410474-a

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Meeting minutes of regional mental health facilities directors, 1980-1991. New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Admission and discharge registers, 1869-1995. New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Board of Visitors sign-in logs, 1902-1995. New York State Archives
referencedIn Birnbach, David. David Birnbach New York State Dept. of Mental Hygiene Oral History records, 1983-2002. Cornell University Library
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Daily reports and census records, 1869-1979. New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard State Hospital (N.Y.). Annual reports, 1867-1972 (bulk 1869-1927). New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Medical records, [ca. 1892-1942] New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Historical background and research files, 1869-1987. New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard State Hospital (N.Y.). Accident, injury, and escape reports, 1946-1963. New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Annual reports of state commissions and institutions overseeing the mentally ill, 1887-1938. New York State Archives
referencedIn New York (State). Office of Mental Health. Willard State Hospital patient case files, 1869-1938 (bulk 1869-1910) New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard State Hospital (N.Y.). Court papers relating to patients' legal matters, [ca. 1900-1948] New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Administrative records, 1874-1977. New York State Archives
referencedIn New York (State). Office of Mental Health. Patient case files, [ca. 1843-1995] New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Board of Visitors' reports, 1905-1995. New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard State Hospital (N.Y.). Newsletters, 1957-1980. New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Hospital chaplain's records, 1954-1988. New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Meeting minutes of "Director's Cabinet", 1988-1995. New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard State Hospital (N.Y.). Ward inspection reports, 1885-1984 (bulk 1885-1886, 1890-1900, 1954-1984) New York State Archives
creatorOf New York (State). Office of Mental Health. Willard Psychiatric Center burial and interment records, 1876-2000 (bulk 1876-1929). New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Medical certificate of lunacy (commitment) papers, 1869-1927. New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Fiscal records, 1891-1984. New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Willard documentary images, 1880-1993 (bulk 1930-1993) New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Morgue registers, 1937-1995 (bulk 1937-1945, 1958-1995) New York State Archives
creatorOf Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.). Director's photograph and news clipping file, 1970-1979 (bulk 1977-1978) New York State Archives
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Birnbach, David. person
associatedWith Craig Colony for Epileptics. corporateBody
associatedWith Florack, Thomas J. person
associatedWith New York (state) Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State) Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State) Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State) Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). Dept. of Mental Hygiene. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). Office of Mental Health. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). State Commissioner in Lunacy. corporateBody
associatedWith New York (State). State Hospital Commission. corporateBody
associatedWith Nightingale, Florence. person
associatedWith Willard Asylum for the Insane. corporateBody
associatedWith Willard State Hospital. corporateBody
associatedWith Willard State Hospital (N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith Willard, Sylvester D. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Willard (N.Y.)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
Willard (N.Y.)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
Willard (N.Y.)
Sonyea (N.Y.)
New York (State)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
New York (State)
New York (State)
New York (State)
Willard (N.Y.)
Willard (N.Y.)
Willard (N.Y.)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
Willard (N.Y.)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
New York (State)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
Willard (N.Y.)
Willard (N.Y.)
New York (State)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
Willard (N.Y.)
Ovid (N.Y.)
Willard (N.Y.)
New York (State)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
Willard (N.Y.)
Willard (N.Y.)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
Willard (N.Y.)
New York (State)
New York (State)
New York (State)
New York (State)
New York (State)
New York (State)
New York (State)
Ovid (N.Y.)
New York (State)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
Willard (N.Y.)
Seneca County (N.Y.)
Willard (N.Y.)
New York (State)
Willard (N.Y.)
New York (State)
Subject
Asylums
Autopsy
Epileptics
Eye
Farm produce
Historic buildings
Hospital purchasing
Hospitals
Hospitals
Hospitals
Hospitals
Hospitals
Hospitals
Psychiatric hospitals
Psychiatric hospitals
Psychiatric hospitals
Psychiatric hospitals
Psychiatric hospitals
Psychiatric hospitals
Psychiatric hospitals
Psychiatric hospitals
Psychiatric hospitals
Insanity (Law)
Institutional care
Livestock
Medicine
Mental health clergy
Mental health facilities
Mental health facilities
Mental health facilities
Mental health facilities
Mental health laws
Mental health personnel
Mental health personnel
Mental health planning
Mental health policy
Mental illness
Mentally ill
Mentally ill
Mentally ill
Mentally ill
Mentally ill
Mentally ill Care
Mentally ill offenders
Nurses
Nursing
Nursing schools
Nursing students
Psychiatric hospital care
Psychiatric hospital patients
Psychiatric hospital patients
Psychiatric hospital patients
Psychology, Pathological
Public welfare
Occupation
Activity
Accounting
Administering psychiatric hospitals
Administrating psychiatric hospitals
Admitting patients
Archiving
Chaplain
Counseling
Diagnosing mentally ill
Documenting asylums
Documenting patients
Documenting psychiatric hospitals
Farming
Inspecting mental health facilities
Maintaining census records
Maintaining state government institutions
Managing mental health facilities
Ministering
Monitoring mental health facilities
Monitoring mental health patients
Monitoring mentally ill
Monitoring state government institutions
Planning
Promoting regionalism
Publicizing
Registering patients
Regulating psychiatric hospitals
Releasing patients
Reporting deaths
Researching
Training
Treating mental disorders
Treating mentally ill

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Active 1988

Active 1995

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