Office of Mental Health Master Patient Index Cards

Alphabetical in two sequences

The cards serve as an index to patient admission and discharge registers. Data on the cards includes name, address, next of kin, facility, case number (the facility assigns a patient identification number to the patient), and state identification number (assigned by the Office of Mental Health and is one number per individual regardless of where the individual is receiving treatment). Both the Office of Mental Health (OMH) and individual facilities maintain sets of these index cards. The OMH set of cards includes master numbers for patients admitted to private psychiatric facilities through circa 1980 and the patient numbers for all facilities at which a client received treatment.

As of 1980 the system no longer included private patients. It should be noted that OMH purged all its cards of deceased patients prior to 1930. OMH answers genealogical requests from these cards in addition to providing information to government agencies relating to pistol permits. Before a pistol permit is granted, a search of mental health records is conducted to determine whether the applicant has a history of mental illness. These records are also searched when background/security checks are needed. This series is no longer created in hard copy. In 1980 OMH automated this function.

Series B2914, Gowanda Psychiatric Center Master Patient Index Cards.

This series was transferred under RDA 90381.

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.