State Commission in Lunacy policy and meeting records

Roughly chronological by date of record creation.

This series consists of informational and policy documents issued by the State Commission in Lunacy and Maintained by the Utica State Hospital. Documents include transcripts of conferences; orders transferring patients (listed by name) among various institutions; decisions rendered by the Commission; guidelines; policy resolutions; samples of official forms to be used at state hospitals; minutes of meetings of the Commission; copies of laws effecting the insane; and notifications of changes in laws regarding the insane sent to public officials and members of the medical and legal professions having duties relating to the insane.

Issues discussed and reported at the meetings include proposed expenditures and contracts for improvements, repairs, and construction at the State Hospitals; condemnation and acquisition of property; insurance of hospital property; resignations, appointments, leave, and salary of staff; legal and financial claims made against the hospitals; licensing of private mental health facilities; and other legal and procedural issues and policies.

B1491-97: These volumes contain typed transcripts of minutes of meetings of the Commission in Lunacy (1902-1932). Meetings were held at various state facilities, and business taken up at the meetings concerned all state hospitals either individually or collectively. Minutes typically document location of the meeting; those present; presentations made; brief summaries of reports submitted; and issues considered, resolutions offered, seconded, and adopted.

Besides the commissioners, those present typically included state hospital superintendents and other state hospital staff, representatives of firms conducting business with the state hospital system, and occasionally, other state officials and employees such as the State Architect.

Series B1470, [Willard State Hospital] Administrative Records, contains other official memoranda received by the state hospitals from the State Commission in Lunacy.

B1491-96: Subject index for each volume.

B1491-97: Two earliest volumes include alphabetical subject index.

B1491-97: Volume list.

B1491-96: These records were transferred to the State Archives on September 16, 1996 from Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center under RDA 19266.

B1491-97: These records were transferred to the State Archives on May 7, 1997 from Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center under RDA 19266.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.