Wiilard State Hospital Patient Indexes

Arranged in two subseries: Subseries 1, County Index, 1869-1878, 4 volumes; and Subseries 2, Patient Name Index, 1869-1962, 3 volumes. Subseries 1 is alphabetical by county and therein roughly alphabetical by patient name; subseries 2 is roughly alphabetical by patient name.

This series consists of patient indexes created by staff of Willard Asylum for the Insane (later Willard State Hospital). For some patients, the volume and page number given in the indexes refer to other series of patient case files; sometimes the reference of the citations is unknown. Dates for the indexes overlap as information was carried over from earlier to later volumes.

Subseries 1, County Index. Information given in the first two volumes of the county index (1869-1878) includes consecutive number of entry for county; patient name; date of admission; date of discharge; duration of treatment (if died, cause of death is given); result of treatment; class (usually "pauper"); on whose orders received (name and title, usually "overseer of the poor"); and remarks (where transferred to, location of burial site, or to whom patient was released).

The third and fourth volumes of the county index (1870-1962) contain names forwarded from the 1870-1920 book for patients still in hospital as of January 22, 1923. Information supplied for these entries includes patient name (stricken out when case was terminated); man or woman; age; town or village of residence; date of admission; date of discharge; and how disposed of (died, transferred, or discharged). No burial information is given in these volumes.

Subseries 2, Patient Name Index. The second index is an alphabetical patient register. The first volume (1869-1890) lists only women patients. Informational headings include patient name; case book volume and page; clinical record (always blank); burial record volume and page; autopsy record volume and page (seldom given); new case book volume and page (always blank); admission date; and discharge date. The case book volume and page numbers cited in this volume refer to Series 14231, Office of Mental Health Patient Case Files.

The remaining two volumes of the name index (1869-1923 and 1951-1962) list both men and women. Information includes only patient name; age; date of admission; county; case book volume; and date discharged (died or transferred).

B1459-04: This volume, 1870-1960, is an accretion to subseries 2, Patient Name Index. Although this index was created in 1923, admissions are recorded from as early at least 1870. Discharge dates are recorded for as late as 1960. Both male and female patients are documented. Information given includes name; age; date of admission; county of residence; case book number; and date of discharge, death, or transfer.

Some volumes have tables of contents.

These records were transferred to the State Archives from Willard Psychiatric Center at the time of its closure in April, 1995.

Restricted in accordance with Mental Hygiene Law, Section 33.13, relating to confidentiality of clinical records. Access is permitted under certain conditions upon approval by the Office of Mental Health.