Research

New York State Office of Mental Health Patient Case Files


Some content may contain outdated and offensive terminology. See: New York State Archives Statement on Language in Descriptive Resources


Overview of the Records

Repository:

New York State Archives
New York State Education Department
Cultural Education Center
Albany, NY 12230

Summary:
This series consists of the official forms and administrative data documenting the admission, legal status, assessment, treatment planning, treatment, and discharge of patients in the state's mental health facilities. Records include admission, death, and discharge records; patient photographs; census statistics; and autopsy reports of patients in facilities across the state.
Creator:
Title:
Office of Mental Health patient case files
Quantity:

3093 cubic feet

695 volumes

Inclusive Dates:
1843-1995
Series Number:
14231

Arrangement

14231-93, 14231-95, 14231-02: Numerical by case book/volume and then by sequential patient case number, corresponding to year of admission.

14231-96, 14231-01, 14231-01A: Chronological by date of admission.

14231-98: Unarranged.

14231-99: Numerical.

14231-03A: This accretion is divided into three sub-groups: death records are arranged numerically by record number; discharge records are arranged numerically by record number; and autopsy records are arranged chronologically.

Scope and Content Note

14231-93: This accretion consists of 405 volumes of official forms and administrative data documenting the admission, legal status, assessments, treatment planning, treatment and discharge of patients to the Buffalo State Hospital (later Buffalo Psychiatric Center).

Casebooks (boxes 1-22) contain bound records pertaining to the admission and treatment of patients at the Buffalo State Hospital from 1881 to 1898. Included are patient case #151- #6449. Records covering the period 1898-1920 (boxes 23-64) consist solely of medical records pertaining to patient care at Buffalo. Records are unbound and range from patient case #6456 - #16389.

14231-95: The records in this accretion (72 volumes) pertain to patients at the Willard State Hospital (later Willard Psychiatric Center) admitted between 1869 and 1919. Although one of the latest death entries is 1938, the bulk of the records date to 1910. Files range from patient case #1 - #8357.

14231-96: This accretion consists of bound volumes of case records for patients at Utica State Hospital. Earlier records are completely narrative; later records include printed forms with information added.

Photographs of patients are included beginning ca. 1887, and are more frequently included in following years. Other documents frequently present include abstracts of commitment orders and other legal documents; correspondence to and from patients; newspaper clippings; and case histories.

14231-98: This series contains patient records (91 volumes) from Kings County Asylum (later known as Long Island State Hospital, and then as the Brooklyn State Hospital) consisting primarily of medical case files and admission and discharge records. Admission dates range from 1843 to 1919. The records vary in content over time. A very few photographs of patients are included in the case files.

The accretion also includes census statistics for female patients (1910-1925); letters certifying patients' conditions (1896-1899); autopsy reports (1895-1898); and one volume listing books purchased, showing publishers and prices (scattered 1897-1927).

14231-99: This accretion consists of 1,187 boxes of post-1920 patient records numbered from #16390 - #72776.

14231-01: This accretion consists of 22 bound volumes for patients admitted to Middletown State Homeopathic Hospital (later Middletown Psychiatric Center) between 1874 and 1898 and discharged through 1936. Case numbers range from #1 to #5258.

14231-01A: This accretion consists of patient case books (8 volumes) created by licensed private asylums and county facilities whose administration, after closure, was transferred to the King's Park State Hospital, Kings Park Psychiatric Center (as the institution became known in 1975), and, after the closure of Kings Park Psychiatric Center in 1996, Pilgrim Psychiatric Center. Admission dates range from 1855 to 1931.

14231-02: This accretion consists of 1549 boxes of medical records, including case numbers 25125 through 57603, relating to Willard Psychiatric Center. Also included are 42 boxes (boxes 1550-1591) of out of sequence medical records.

14231-03: This accretion consists of approximately 100 patient case files from Willard State Hospital dating from ca.1935-1969. The files were apparently removed from the main body of records for research purposes.

14231-03A: This accretion contains three sub-groups of medical records pertaining to patients who were admitted to St. Lawrence State Hospital beginning in 1890. The first group consists of case files of patients who died at the facility between the years 1900 and 1919. The second group includes case files of patients who were discharged from the institution between the years 1906 and 1919. Some case files include one or more photographs of patients. The last sub-group consists of autopsy records pertaining to patients who died at the facility between the years 1891 and 1941. A number of hand-annotated photographs are included in these records.

Other Finding Aids

Available at Repository

14231-93: Each volume has a contents page listing patients alphabetically by last name, with case number.

14231-96: Each volume contains an alphabetical name index.

14231-98: Case file books usually contain an alphabetical name index.

14231-93, 14231-95, 14231-96, 14231-01, 14231-01A: Volume list.

14231-98: Container list showing log or volume number, type of record, and first/last admission dates.

14231-99: A patient card index and a patient case register to these records are retained by the Buffalo Psychiatric center.

14231-01: Case file books contain a name index.

14231-02, 14231-03, 14231-03A: Container list.

Custodial History

14231-93: These records were transferred to the State Archives in bulk in October 1993 and processed in 1995.

14231-95: These records were part of a large group transferred to the State Archives from Willard in several shipments during April 1995.

14231-96: These records were transferred to the State Archives from Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center on September 16, 1996.

14231-98: These records were transferred to the State Archives from Kingsboro Psychiatric Center on December 15, 1997.

14231-01: These records were transferred to the State Archives from the Middletown Psychiatric Center during June 2000 and accessioned in January 2001.

14231-01A: These records were transferred from Pilgrim Psychiatric Center in 1999 and accessioned by the State Archives in May 2001.

14231-02: Upon the closing of Willard Psychiatric Center on May 1, 1995, these records were transferred to Binghamton Psychiatric Center. The records were subsequently transferred to the State archives in July 2002 and accessioned in August 2002.

Access Restrictions

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

Access Terms

Corporate Name(s):
Geographic Name(s):
Subject(s):
Genre(s):
Function(s):