Scope and Content: The Division of State Adult Poor was established under the State Board of Lunacy and Charity in 1898 (shortly thereafter continued under the State Board of Charity). It was succeeded by the Division of Aid and Relief in the Dept. of Public Welfare in 1919. That division was replaced by the Division of Public Assistance in 1953, which continued until departmental reorganization in 1971.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Restrictions: Personal information restricted by statutory provision MGLA c 4, s7, d 26(c), c 66A. For conditions of access consult repository
Related Catalog Records:
Accounts of monies received [Massachusetts Division of Aid and Relief]
Weekly returns of admissions and discharges at the State Farm [Massachusetts Division of Aid and Relief]
Scope and Content: In Massachusetts, the Division of Aid and Relief (Dept. of Public Welfare) received weekly returns from institutions under its total or partial jurisdiction. Among these was the State Farm at Bridgewater, the site successively of a State Almshouse (1854-1872) for so-called willing and needlessly dependent paupers, and the State Workhouse (1866-1887). 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. –Although in 1919 the Dept. of Correction became responsible for the State Farm as a whole, the Dept. of Public Welfare, through its Division of Aid and Relief, was responsible for the remaining pauper admissions to the State Farm, largely those admitted to its hospital (Infirmary Dept.) for medical care. The division’s settlements unit remained in charge of investigating settlements (through 1950) of those paupers admitted to the State Farm. The division’s institutional unit had the State Farm Infirmary Dept. under its jurisdiction, and was charged with the admission and dismissal of pauper department. inmates. Although Dept. of Public Welfare charges were generally sent to the State Infirmary at Tewksbury (later Tewksbury State Hospital and Infirmary), St 1921, c 486, s 28 allowed the department to transfer paupers from one state charitable institution to another, including to the State Farm for those whose labor could contribute to the cost of their support, or in an emergency. From 1930 onward, the Infirmary Dept. inmates admitted from the cities and towns were gradually discharged, with all thereafter sent to the State Infirmary, with the last one dying at the State Farm in 1939. Thereafter the department only oversaw care at the infirmary for those male indigents not chargeable to any city or town, generally those released from the State Farm Prison Dept.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Volume for 1938 lacking. Formerly classed under (M-Ar)HS9.10: Massachusetts. State Farm
Related Catalog Records:
Medical Assistance Program claims remittance advices [Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare]
Scope and Content: St 1969, c 800, s 1 promulgated MGLA c 118E to administer in Massachusetts a joint state-federally funded program of medical care and assistance authorized by Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act (P.L. 89-97). It was placed under the Commonwealth’s Dept. of Public Welfare (DPW), which was already responsible for various medical assistance programs for specific constituencies. St 1993, c 161, s 17 placed the program, now commonly known as Medicaid, under a Division of Medical Assistance, Executive Office for Health and Human Services.
Restrictions: Personal medical information restricted by statutory provision MGLA c 4, s 7, d 26(c) and c 66A. Public health hospital/clinic client information restricted by statutory provision MGLA c 111,s 70. For conditions of access consult repository
Related Catalog Records:
Accounts of support for children [Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare]
Scope and Content: In Massachusetts, the Board of State Charities at the time of its creation in 1863 had a department of settlement and bastardy, which was responsible for prosecuting cases of bastardy to provide support for affected children. With the formation of State Board of Health, Lunacy, and Charity in 1879, the board split its duties among four departments: health, lunacy, indoor poor, and outdoor poor; with indoor poor responsible for bastardy cases. The State Board of Lunacy and Charity, formed per St 1886, c 101, continued as its predecessor with departments of indoor poor and outdoor poor. In 1898 this was changed with the establishment within the board of a division of state adult poor (with indoor and outdoor units) and a division of state minor wards, both of which were continued under the State Board of Charity, which was established per St 1898, c 433 by separating out a State Board of Insanity. The State Board of Charity was assigned by this act to the prosecution of all cases of bastardy of non-settled persons. St 1919, c 350 established the Dept. of Public Welfare as successor to the State Board of Charity, with divisions of aid and relief and of child guardianship, the latter division a successor to state minor wards. –St 1906, c 501 directed fines for non-support of children be paid to the state board of charity if the minor child was under its custody. St 1911, c 456 included mothers as also potentially responsible, and increased term of payments to up to two years, with fines payable to probation officers, city treasurers, or legal representatives of the wives or minor children. St 1913, c 563 authorized courts to issue orders compelling the father to provide support to the mother or probation officer for confinement or care of the child. St 1918, c 199 allowed the money to be designated for support of the child.
Arrangement: In three alphabetical groupings: ledger, 1915-1916, folders 1916-1919, 1919-1928
Notes: Includes contents of former series (M-Ar)1654X
Related Catalog Records:
Annual reports [Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare]
Scope and Content: The Massachusetts Dept. of Public Welfare replaced the State Board of Charity in 1919.
Arrangement: In two subseries: (1) Annual reports. (2) Annual reports of state institutions
Notes: Public document, no. 17
Related Catalog Records:
Memorandums to district directors [Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare]
Scope and Content: The Dept. of Public Welfare has the responsibility to provide and administer a comprehensive public welfare financial assistance program (MGLA c 18, s 2). Until 1967 the department organized the state into districts to carry out this program, originally staffed by the Division of Aid and Relief (Division of Public Assistance from 1953), under a district supervisor, and from the early 1950s (cf. St 1952, c 602) also by the Division of Child Guardianship, with respective district supervisors under a district director. Memorandums to district directors from the Office of Field Operations (or from other officials of the department but copied to or distributed by the office) communicated directives and policy decisions.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Related Catalog Records:
Commissioner’s federal official correspondence [Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare]
Scope and Content: The Dept. of Public Welfare has the responsibility to provide and administer a comprehensive public welfare financial assistance program, including financial assistance under the federal-state programs (MGLA c 18, s 2). The department is under the direction, supervision, and control of the commissioner of public welfare (s 3). In order to administer the department, the commissioner corresponds with federal agency staff.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Scheduled as: Federal official correspondence
Related Catalog Records:
Commissioner’s internal correspondence [Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare]
Scope and Content: The Dept. of Public Welfare has the responsibility to provide and administer a comprehensive public welfare financial assistance program (MGLA c 18, s 2). The department is under the direction, supervision, and control of the commissioner of public welfare (s 3). In order to administer the department, the commissioner corresponds with department staff members, advocacy groups representatives, Executive Office of Human Services staff members, legislators, and clients.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Scheduled as: Internal correspondence
Related Catalog Records:
District supervisors’ minutes [Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare]
Scope and Content: The Dept. of Public Welfare has the responsibility to provide and administer a comprehensive public welfare financial assistance program (MGLA c 18, s 2). Until 1967 the department organized the state into districts to carry out this program, originally staffed by the Division of Aid and Relief (Division of Public Assistance from 1953), under a district supervisor, and from the early 1950s (cf. St 1952, c 602) also by the Division of Child Guardianship, with respective district supervisors under a district director. District supervisors’ conferences were held to plan and coordinate the work of the districts. Minutes of these monthly meetings were created to document planning and decisions.
Arrangement: Arranged chronologically
Notes: Also known as: District supervisors’ notes
Related Catalog Records:
Subject files [Massachusetts Department of Public Welfare]
Arrangement: Arranged alphabetically by subject
Notes: Cartons numbered 11-28
Related Catalog Records:
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