Scope and Content: The State Lunatic Hospital at Danvers, established in 1877, opened in 1878 as Danvers Lunatic Hospital. It was renamed Danvers Insane Hospital in 1898 and Danvers State Hospital in 1909. It was closed in 1992.
Arrangement: Arranged by account holder, thereunder chronologically
Notes: Ledgers B (1892-1898) and C (1902-1908) only.  B also includes daybook entries of monies received, miscellaneous cash, and interest.  C also includes ledger entries for special appropriations for capital improvements. (See also: Special appropriation ledgers, 1903-1933 ((M-Ar)513X))
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Scope and Content: Bridgewater, Mass., was the site successively of a State Almshouse (1854-1872) for so-called willing and needlessly dependent paupers, and the State Workhouse (1866-1887), for paupers convicted of misdemeanors as well as paupers generally (from 1872), and incorrigible juveniles (1869-1948). The State Workhosue was renamed the State Farm (1887-1955), which also included a State Farm Hospital for the medical needs of all inmates, as well as locals and poor admitted solely for medical treatment. The change in name was in deference to the admission of insane male paupers (1886), although it was  followed by the admission of aged and physically or mentally infirm inmates of the State Prison (1890). Insane admissions were then limited for a time to criminals (1894), forming a division called the State Asylum for Insane Criminals (1895), which was renamed Bridgewater State Hospital (1909). Units at Bridgewater were later added for female prisoners (1909-1930), so-called defective delinquents (males from 1922, females 1926-1954)–mentally impaired inmates requiring segregation from standard inmate or institutionalized populations–and for drug and alcohol addicts (from 1922, females to 1930 only), eventually mostly voluntary admissions. All Bridgewater State Farm facilities and divisions (including prison, almshouse, insane, and medical hospital functions) were administered by a common superintendent. The running of the State Farm, including industries and extensive agricultural operations, relied on work performed by all capable inmates.
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Scope and Content: State oversight of treatment for drug abuse in Massachusetts was successively the responsibility of the Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Board, established 1963 in the Dept. of Public Health, and of the Division of Drug Rehabilitation, established 1969 in the department of the attorney general, transferred to the Dept. of Mental Health effective 1971, and then to the Dept. of Public Health, effective 1982.  In 1986 the division was merged with that department’s Division of Alcoholism to form (as of 1989) the Division of Substance Abuse Services.
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Scope and Content: Since 1971 the Executive Office of Human Services (Executive Office of Health and Human Services since 1992) has been responsible through its constitutent agencies for the delivery of a wide range of services to persons with financial, health, social, protective, rehabilitation, and correctional needs. Its role is one of management and fiscal oversight, coordination of interagency planning and program development, and policy analysis.  Series was created to allow the office’s legislative director to coordinate interagency review of proposed legislation pertinent to the office’s mission (see: Legislative review files, 1975-1989 ((M-Ar)1832)).
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Scope and Content: Since 1971 the Executive Office of Human Services (Executive Office of Health and Human Services since 1992) has been responsible through its constitutent agencies for the delivery of a wide range of services to persons with financial, health, social, protective, rehabilitation, and correctional needs. Its role is one of management and fiscal oversight, coordination of interagency planning and program development, and policy analysis.  Series is created to obtain legislation favorable to the goals of the office and its departments.
Arrangement: Arranged generally chronologically
Notes: Records for 1978, 1980-1986 lacking
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Scope and Content: The Experimental School for Teaching and Training Idiotic Children conducted at the Perkins Institution and Massachusetts Asylum for the Blind from 1848 was incorporated by Massachusetts as the Massachusetts School for Idiotic and Feeble-Minded Youth in 1850.  It was renamed Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded in 1883 and Walter E. Fernald State School in 1925.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Restrictions: Mental retardation client information restricted by statutory provision MGLA c 123B, s 17. For conditions of access consult repository
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Scope and Content: Massachusetts Resolves 1846, c 117 appointed Commissioners on Idiocy to inquire on: the condition of idiots in the commonwealth and if anything can be done for them. The commission’s report, written by Samuel Gridley Howe of the Perkins Institution and Massachusetts Asylum for the Blind, led to the establishment by Resolves 1848, c 65 of the Experimental School for Teaching and Training Idiotic Children, located at the Perkins Institution. The school was incorporated as the Massachusetts School for Idiotic and Feeble-Minded Youth (St 1850, c 150), located near Perkins in South Boston, with Howe serving as president until his death in 1876. It was renamed the Massachusetts School for the Feeble-Minded by St 1883, c 239, reflecting the establishment of a separate asylum department for those beyond school age or not capable of being helped by the school’s instruction. Funds for the construction of a new facility in Waltham were provided by Resolves 1888, c 82, and occupation of the new site began in 1890, with the South Boston facility closing in 1892. St 1925, c 293 renamed the institution the Walter E. Fernald State School, in honor of the superintendent of the school, 1887-1924. A 2003 gubernatorial initiative to close the Fernald School (known as the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center since 1993) by 2007 was contested during the subsequent decade, until the institution was shut down permanently in Nov. 2014.
Restrictions: Mental retardation client information restricted by statutory provision MGLA c 123B, s 17. For conditions of access consult repository
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Scope and Content: The State Almshouse at Monson provided residence for paupers without settlement in the Commonwealth from 1854 to 1872.  The State Primary School, opened at the almshouse in 1866 and continuing after its closing until 1895, provided lodging, instruction, and employment for dependent and neglected children under age sixteen without settlement in the Commonwealth and some juvenile offenders.  Per St 1852, c 275, c 7, almshouse inspectors could place minor inmates out on trial with families, where they were often subsequently indentured.  Later school inmates were similarly placed (originally by school inspectors–St 1866, c 209, s 7; then by school trustees–St 1880, c 208, s 1) and periodically monitored by the visiting agent of the Board of State Charities (St 1869, c 453, s 2; St 1870, c 359, s 2–in which called State Visiting Agency) and from 1879 by the Division of Visiting, Dept. of Indoor Poor, State Board of Health, Lunacy, and Charity (State Board of Lunacy and Charity from 1886).  These offices (and the almshouse inspectors before them) also visited and approved homes before placement, requiring recommendations on behalf of applicants for placed inmates (St 1869, c 453, s 3; St 1870, c 359, s 4).  Series was created to administer this process.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
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Scope and Content: In its statutory role (MGLA c 28A) as advocate for services to children in Massachusetts, the Office for Children administered a task force on child care affordability established per St 1986, c 206, s 53, chaired by the office director, with membership from the legislature, Dept. of Social Services, Child Care Coalition, and agubernatorial appointee.  The task force, reauthorized by St 1987, c 199, s 77 and St 1989, c 244, s 54 and continuing to meet through 1991, documented the cost of child care relative to working family annual income.  The office’s Child Care Affordability Project consisted of a task force report, funded by the office and United Way of Massachusetts, and a pilot Affordability Scholarship Assistanco Program for families whose income exceeded eligibility requirements for state subsidy.  St 1990, c 521 (approved 1991) established a Child Care Affordability Scholarship Assistance Fund to be administered by the task force.  Series was maintained by the office’s licensing unit to administer task force proceedings and related office projects.
Notes: Some materials predate formal constituting of task force
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Scope and Content: In its statutory role as advocate for services to children in Massachusetts, the Office for Children establishes regulations for licensing or approval of day care and substitute care providers (MGLA c 28A, s 4(c)).  The office holds hearings prior to adoption, amendment, or repeal of regulations as required by law (MGLA c 30A, s 2).  Series is created by the office’s licensing unit to administer hearings and collate resulting comment.
Arrangement: Arranged by program, thereunder chronologically
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