Crownsville Hospital Center facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crownsville Hospital Center |
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|---|---|
| Maryland Department of Mental Health and Hygiene | |
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| Geography | |
| Location | Crownsville, Maryland, United States |
| Coordinates | 39°1′26″N 76°36′2″W / 39.02389°N 76.60056°W |
| Organization | |
| Care system | State-run institution |
| Services | |
| Emergency department | No |
| Beds | 264 |
| History | |
| Founded | 1911 |
| Closed | 2004 |
The Crownsville Hospital Center was a special hospital in Crownsville, Maryland. It helped people with mental health challenges. This hospital was open for a long time, from 1911 until 2004.
Contents
How Crownsville Hospital Started
A New Hospital for Maryland
The idea for Crownsville Hospital began on April 11, 1910. The Maryland General Assembly, which is like the state's law-making group, passed a law. This law created the "Hospital for the Negro Insane of Maryland." It was decided that this new hospital should not be in Baltimore.
Choosing the Location
On December 13, 1910, a special group bought some land. This land was in Crownsville, Maryland. It used to be a farm where people grew willow and tobacco. The cost of the land was $19,000. Soon after, on May 23, 1910, Dr. Dan Hempeck became the first leader, or Superintendent, of the hospital.
Patients and Staff at Crownsville
Growing Number of Patients
In 1929, 55 patients were able to leave Crownsville. However, 92 patients passed away that year. Over time, more and more patients came to the hospital. The number of patients reached its highest point in 1955. At that time, there were 2,719 patients living at Crownsville.
Changes in Staff
For many years, all the staff at Crownsville Hospital were white. This changed in 1948. The NAACP is a group that works for equal rights. They had been asking for African-American staff to be hired. At first, the people in charge of mental health didn't agree.
But in 1948, a new leader at Crownsville made a change. He hired Vernon Sparks, the first African-American staff member. Vernon Sparks worked in the Psychology Department. Later, Gwendolyn Lee joined the Social Work Department. Even then, African-American staff were not allowed to work directly with patients. This rule changed in 1952. By 1959, nearly half of Crownsville's staff were African-American. This was much higher than other large state hospitals.
Helping Patients and Training Staff
New Leadership and Programs
In 1964, Dr. George McKenzie Phillips became the first African-American Superintendent. He brought many new ideas to Crownsville. Dr. Phillips started a program where patients could get help during the day. He also created a program to help schools with mental health.
The hospital also supported mental health clinics in Baltimore and other nearby areas. Patients at these clinics could get free medicine.
Training for Future Helpers
Crownsville Hospital also became a place for learning. They started training programs for people who wanted to work in mental health. These included training in psychiatry (doctors who treat mental illness), psychology (studying the mind), and social work (helping people solve problems). They also had training in dance therapy and pastoral counseling.
The hospital welcomed students from many different countries. In its last ten years, students came from Israel, Ireland, Spain, Germany, Turkey, and Chile. Crownsville also trained therapists who spoke Spanish. This helped them serve more people in need.
The Hospital's Closing
A Focus on Community Care
The staff at Crownsville Hospital were known for standing up for their patients. They did not want patients to be sent to places that couldn't properly care for them. Over time, new and better ways to treat mental health problems were found. Also, it became harder to admit patients to hospitals. More money was given to help people get treatment outside of hospitals.
Because of these changes, the number of patients at Crownsville went down. From 2,719 patients in 1955, it dropped to only 200 by the year 2000. Soon after, there were no patients left.
What Happened to the Hospital Grounds
The land around the hospital became a place for many community programs. These included social, school, and health services. Crownsville Hospital finally closed its doors in July 2004. Any patients who still needed hospital care were moved to other hospitals in Maryland.
The original buildings of Crownsville Hospital are still there today. Different groups and businesses now use parts of the old campus.
The Hospital Cemetery
There is also a patient cemetery on the Crownsville Hospital grounds. This is a historic place. It was rededicated in 2004. About 1,600 patients are buried there. For a long time, their graves were only marked with numbers. More recent graves now have the patients' names.
