Scope and Content: In its statutory role as advocate for services to children in Massachusetts, the Office for Children coordinates such services in privately funded and particularly public programs, evaluating and monitoring programs in departments and agencies within the Executive Office of Human Services and other executive offices (MGLA c 28A, s 4).  Through FY1991 the office’s advocacy unit in its Help for Children Program provided comprehensive information, referral, and advocacy services to assure children appropriate social, health, or financial support, administered on a community basis through ca. 43 area offices grouped under ca. six regional offices.  Cases involving such service needs not resolvable on a area level were referred to an interagency (interdepartmental) childrens’ services team convened by the office from human services (public health, mental health, mental retardation, social services) and education agencies, first at the regional office level and then if necessary at the central office level, to identify needed services and to designate appropriate provider agencies (MGLA c 28A, s 6A).  Series was created at the regional office level to administer and document team disposition of such cases and review of team procedures.
Arrangement: Arranged numerically by region, thereunder chronologically in reverse order
Restrictions: Personal data restricted by statutory provision MGLA c 4, s 7, d 26(c) and c 66A. For conditions of access consult repository
Notes: Scheduled as: Minutes of team meetings
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: In its statutory role as advocate for services to children in Massachusetts, the Office for Children coordinates such services in privately funded and particularly public programs, evaluating and monitoring programs in departments and agencies within the Executive Office of Human Services and other executive offices (MGLA c 28A, s 4).  Through FY1991 the office’s advocacy unit in its Help for Children Program provided comprehensive information, referral, and advocacy services to assure children appropriate social, health, or financial support, administered on a community basis through ca. 43 area offices grouped under ca. six regional offices.  Cases involving such service needs not resolvable on a area level were referred to an interagency (interdepartmental) childrens’ services team convened by the office from human services (public health, mental health, mental retardation, social services) and education agencies, first at the regional office level and then if necessary at the central office level, to identify needed services and to designate appropriate provider agencies (MGLA c 28A, s 6A).  Series was created to analyze regionally convened team disposition of such cases.
Notes: Scheduled as: Interagency team reports. Series incomplete
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: In its statutory role as advocate for services to children in Massachusetts, the Office for Children coordinates such services in privately funded and particularly public programs, evaluating and monitoring programs in departments and agencies within the Executive Office of Human Services and other executive offices (MGLA c 28A, s 4).  Through FY1991 the office’s advocacy unit in its Help for Children Program provided comprehensive information, referral, and advocacy services to assure children appropriate social, health, or financial support, administered on a community basis through ca. 43 area offices grouped under ca. six regional offices.  Series was created by the office’s director (commissioner from 1987) to provide policy and procedural background in administering advocacy unit programs.
Arrangement: Arranged in part chronologically
Notes: Scheduled as: Director’s subject file
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

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 Workhouse 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.
Arrangement: Arranged by inmate no
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

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 G. 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 still in litigation as of 2013.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Report for 1957 lacking
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: Pondville Hospital was operated by the Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health from 1927 to 1981 as a state facility to conduct cancer research and to treat cancer patients.  The superintendent maintained annual report files, used to prepare annual reports to the commissioner of public health.
Arrangement: In three subseries: (1) Preliminary annual reports, 1941-1981 (2) Annual statistical reports, 1947-1979 (3) Audit reports, 1961-1980; Arranged within each subseries chronologically
Notes: Transferred to Archives, Feb. 1982. 1949-1950, 1956, 1971, 1978-1979 lacking. Subseries (2): 1941-1946 included with subseries (1). Reporting year varies: subseries (1) 1946-1981 by fiscal year (i.e., July-June) Box 1: subseries (1). Box 2: subseries (2), 1947-1969. Box 3: subseries (2), 1970-1979; subseries (3)
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: Belchertown State School was established by Massachusetts in 1922 and opened in 1923.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Reports for 1942-1952, 1968 missing
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: The Boston Lunatic Hospital was established as a municipal agency in 1839; it was renamed Boston Insane Hospital in 1897.  It was made a Massachusetts state agency under the name Boston State Hospital in 1908 and closed in 1981.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Public document, no. 84. Reports for 1890-1891, 1894-1896, 1942-1950, and 1959 missing
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: The State Lunatic Hospital at Danvers, established by Massachusetts in 1877, opened in 1878 as Danvers Lunatic Hospital.  It was renamed Danvers Insane Hospital in 1898, and Danvers State Hospital in 1909.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Public document, no. 20. Reports for 1887-1889, 1891, 1897-1898, 1901, 1904, 1913, 1915, 1942-1952 missing
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC

Scope and Content: The Massachusetts Hospital for Dipsomaniacs and Inebriates was established by Massachusetts in 1889 and opened in Foxborough in 1893.  It was renamed Foxborough State Hospital in 1905, and with the transfer of inebriates to Norfolk State Hospital it became an institution for the mentally ill in 19145.  It was closed in 1975.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Reports for 1924-1927, 1942-1950 missing
Related Catalog Records:

Archivegrid
OCLC