Friends Hospital facts for kids
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Friends Hospital
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Friends Hospital in 2010
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| Location | 4641 Roosevelt Boulevard, Frankford, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 100 acres (40 ha) |
| Built | 1813 |
| NRHP reference No. | 99000629 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 20, 1999 |
| Designated NHLD | January 20, 1999 |
| Psychiatric hospital | |
| Founded | 1813 |
| Headquarters | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
Friends Hospital is a special kind of hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. It helps people who are dealing with mental health challenges.
It was started way back in 1813 by a group called the Quakers. Back then, it had a long name: The Asylum for the Relief of Persons Deprived of the Use of Their Reason. Later, it was called the Frankford Asylum for the Insane.
This hospital was the very first private mental hospital in the United States. It's also the oldest one that has been open continuously since it started! The land and buildings where it's located are so important that they are a National Historic Landmark.
Today, Friends Hospital is officially approved by important health organizations and the state of Pennsylvania. This means it meets high standards for patient care.
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What is Friends Hospital's Mission?
The original goal of Friends Hospital in 1813 was very caring. They wanted to provide a good place for people who were struggling with their minds.
Their mission was to offer medical help and "tender, sympathetic attention." This kind and understanding care was meant to calm their minds and help them get better.
How Friends Hospital Started
The Quakers founded Friends Hospital in 1813. They believed that everyone deserved to be treated with kindness, dignity, and respect. This was true even for people with disabilities.
An important minister named Thomas Scattergood felt that mental asylums at the time were too harsh. He wanted patients to receive "moral treatment." This meant treating them with compassion and understanding.
This idea inspired the creation of the Friends Asylum. It became the first privately run psychiatric hospital in the United States.
The Greystone Program
The Greystone Program is located right on the grounds of Friends Hospital. It uses two houses, called Greystone House and Hillside House.
This program is a long-term home for people with serious and ongoing mental illnesses. Some people choose to live at Greystone permanently. Others stay there while they prepare to move to a less structured living environment.
See also
- List of sites of interest in Philadelphia
