Morningside Hospital » Alaska Mental Health Enabling Act of 1956 http://www.morningsidehospital.com In territorial days, Alaskans could be one of three places... Inside (in Alaska), Outside (anywhere else), or Morningside (Morningside Hospital). Thu, 26 Jan 2012 03:42:46 +0000 en hourly 1 Arrest and Adjudication http://www.morningsidehospital.com/2009/05/arrest-and-adjudication/ http://www.morningsidehospital.com/2009/05/arrest-and-adjudication/#comments Fri, 08 May 2009 01:38:55 +0000 Ellen http://www.morningsidehospital.com/?p=30 Prior to the Alaska Mental Health Enabling Act of 1956, a person accused of being mentally ill was to be brought before a jury of six people, who would rule him sane or insane. The patient was often sent to prison until his transfer to Portland. Medical or psychiatric exams were not required. This commitment process was established in 1905 by the 58th US Congress.

The full text for the part of the act relating to, “the care and support of insane persons in the district of Alaska…”, can be found here.

]]> http://www.morningsidehospital.com/2009/05/arrest-and-adjudication/feed/ 0 What was the care like at Morningside Hospital? http://www.morningsidehospital.com/2009/04/what-was-the-care-like-at-morningside-hospital/ http://www.morningsidehospital.com/2009/04/what-was-the-care-like-at-morningside-hospital/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 19:40:11 +0000 Ellen http://www.morningsidehospital.com/?p=6 The story of the hospital and the transition to building a care system over several decades is fascinating and sometimes quite heartbreaking. Lets face it –the standards of what we deem acceptable treatment for persons with mental illness and other conditions has evolved dramatically and for the better in the last one hundred years. Morningside Hospital presented itself as a sanitary, humane, and medically focused facility for the care of people the Territory of Alaska did not want. Government oversight of the program existed because the Interior Department was paying the bill. Investigations occurred from time to time with no real result until the U. S. House of Representatives launched a series of investigations into the care and the finances of the Hospital in the late 1950′s.

These investigations revealed widespread financial abuse by the Coe family–subverting money intended for care of patients to items of personal gain like trips and art.. And there were substantial questions raised about care. These hearings laid the groundwork for the passage of the Alaska Mental Health Enabling Act of 1956. The enabling act, championed by Alaska Rep Bob Bartlett and Rep Edith Green of Portland set the stage for the termination of the arrangement the federal government had with the Coe Family to use Morningside Hospital.

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