Camarillo State Mental Hospital facts for kids

Camarillo State Hospital was a very large public hospital in Camarillo, California. It helped people who had mental illnesses or developmental disabilities. The hospital was open for over 60 years, from 1936 to 1997.

Today, the land where the hospital once stood is home to California State University Channel Islands. The university kept many of the hospital's original buildings. These buildings have a special design called Mission Revival Style. The bell tower, a key part of the old hospital, is now a symbol for the university.

How the Land Was Chosen

When the United States took over California in 1848, it promised to respect land claims from Mexican citizens. The land for Camarillo State Hospital was once part of a large area called "Rancho Guadalasca." This land grant was given to Isabel Yorba in 1836.

In 1929, California decided to buy land for a new state hospital. Three years later, they bought 1,500 acres from the Lewis Ranch. This ranch was owned by Joseph P. Lewis and Adolfo Camarillo, who were famous farmers. The land was in the city of Camarillo, in Ventura County.

Building the Hospital

Plans for the new hospital were quickly drawn up by state architect George McDougall. The goal was to build a place big enough for 3,000 patients at first. The hospital was planned to cover 200 acres. It would have many buildings, including patient dorms, staff homes, and supply areas. Eventually, it was expected to hold 7,000 patients and over 700 staff members.

The first drawing of the hospital was shown in The Camarillo News newspaper in 1932. In March 1933, 50 male patients arrived in Camarillo. They stayed in a farm home on the Lewis Ranch. By June 1934, over 100 patients were there. The hospital officially got its name, Camarillo State Hospital, or "CAM" for short, in May 1933.

Construction began on August 15, 1933. This big project was part of the Public Works Administration (WPA). The WPA was a government program that created jobs during the Great Depression. The hospital cost about $10 million to build. When it was finished, it was the largest mental hospital in the world.

The hospital officially opened for patients in October 1936. Governor Frank Merriam gave a speech at the opening. The first patients were adult men. They stayed in the Bell Tower building. In 1937, 300 women patients moved to Camarillo from other crowded state hospitals. Because so many patients arrived, a North Complex was built in 1939. The hospital then had separate areas for male and female patients.

Growing and Changing

In 1947, Camarillo State Hospital opened a special ward for children with developmental disabilities. This ward grew, and a Children's Treatment Center was built in 1955. The hospital kept expanding with new buildings in 1949. By then, about 1,518 staff members worked there. In 1957, the patient population reached its highest point, with over 7,000 people. This was the most patients the hospital ever had in its 60 years.

Before 1959, teenagers were housed with adults. But in 1959, teenage girls, including those with autism, were separated from adults. By 1968, the Adolescent Division was completely separate from the Children's Division. It had four treatment units and a special school. In 1970, these units became co-educational, meaning boys and girls were together.

In 1967, the hospital took on a double role. It continued to be a mental hospital, but it also became a center for people with developmental disabilities.

A new law called the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act became active in 1969. This law changed how people with mental disabilities were cared for. It meant that people could not be kept in hospitals forever against their will. Their cases had to be reviewed regularly. This law encouraged placing people in care outside of large state hospitals.

In the 1970s, new medicines were discovered that helped people with mental disabilities live more normal lives. Because of these changes, the need for large "mental hospitals" like Camarillo began to decrease.

In 1983, Camarillo State Hospital started new ways of helping patients. They created "activity centers" where adult patients could go during the day. This allowed patients to leave their living units for therapy, group activities, and educational programs. These programs used the latest treatment ideas from U.C.L.A.. Patients were placed in groups based on their needs, giving them very personalized care.

By 1985, the hospital had a new goal: "Enhancing Independence Through Innovation." Camarillo changed from a place where people stayed for life to a facility that helped people get better. It aimed to stabilize patients and help them return to society. For many years, the hospital was like its own small town. It had its own gardens, dairy, fire and police departments, and even a bowling alley. It also housed some of its staff. The hospital had high ratings in the 1980s and 1990s.

Hospital Closure

The Bell Tower Building (2007) of California State University Channel Islands, which was part of the old Camarillo State Hospital.

The hospital eventually closed due to money problems and new ideas about mental health treatment. In 1967, Governor Ronald Reagan signed the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act. This law greatly reduced the number of patients in state hospitals, causing many to close.

In 1996, Governor Pete Wilson created a special group to study why Camarillo State Hospital should or should not close. The group found that the hospital, which once had over 7,200 patients in 1954, had only 871 patients in 1996. The cost to care for each patient had become very high, nearly $114,000 per person. These reasons led to the closing of some parts of the hospital. Then, on June 30, 1997, the hospital officially closed its doors forever.

California State University Channel Islands

After the hospital closed, there was a plan to turn it into a prison. But the local community did not want a prison. Instead, the California State Universities became interested in the site. They decided to turn it into a university, which became California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI). The first classes were held in Fall 2002. Many of the original 1930s mission-style buildings from the hospital were saved and updated for the university.