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Description

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Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center is located on the western edge of Farmington a city of tradition and progress with a growing population of approximately 14000 situated about 70 miles south of St Louis The facility provides inpatient mental health services to 31 counties in southeast Missouri and works handinhand with its six administrative agent centers which administer followup services for discharged clients in the local community

Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center is accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and is certified by Medicare and Medicaid It operates under the auspices of the Missouri Department of Mental Health and does not deny employment or services because of race sex creed marital status national origin disability or age of applicants or employees

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History

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State Hospital No 4 The 40th General Assembly authorized the establishment of State Hospital No 4 in Southeast Missouri in 1899 and appropriated 150000 for purchase of a site and erection of buildings

First Patients In January 1903 Dr William Hall superintendent admitted the first seven patients The number of patients eventually grew to over 1000 and the campus included a barber shop drug store post office bowling alley cannery dairy greenhouse mattress factory power plant and a graveyard as well as other required services

State Hospital No 4 The 40th General Assembly authorized the establishment of State Hospital No 4 in Southeast Missouri in 1899 and appropriated 150000 for purchase of a site and erection of buildings

First Patients In January 1903 Dr William Hall superintendent admitted the first seven patients The number of patients eventually grew to over 1000 and the campus included a barber shop drug store post office bowling alley cannery dairy greenhouse mattress factory power plant and a graveyard as well as other required services

Communication by quotBellquot

The hospital has a bell in a place of honor just beneath the flag pole in the circle in front of the present facility This bell has been put to a new purpose since it was found rusted lying in the weeds Long ago it hung above the administration building at the Farmington State Hospital Before telephones it was used to summon employees The bell now represents a replica of the official mental health bell in Baltimore which is the symbol of the National Mental Health Association NMHA cast in 1953 The 300pound official bell contains material from mental wards in each state including chains handcuffs and other metal restraints formerly used to tie down mental patients It bears the inscription quotCast from the shackles which bound them this bell shall ring out hope for the mentally ill and victory over mental illnessquot

Popular Treatments and Progress 1924 to 1987 In 1924 one of the favored treatments was hydrotherapy followed by lobotomies in 1940 and electroshock therapy in 1942 In 1930 there were 1080 patients in the institution and Dr Emmett Hoctor was superintendent He dedicated his life to the hospital and after he retired in 1978 he lived on the grounds until his death in 1986 Beginning in the mid60s there was a steady decline in patient population due to new and improved treatment programs increased treatment staff new drugs and placement in the community foster homes and boardingnursing homes In 1987 the hospital buildings were converted into a prison and a new building was constructed nearby for the hospital When it opened in July 1987 it was renamed Southeast Missouri Mental Health Center

Before telephones this bell was used to summon staff The quotnumber of ringsquot identified the staff person being called

State Hospital 4 was one of the first cottage plan institutions built in the United States Below are pictures of some of the cottages The lower floor of each cottage was used exclusively for day purposes and the upper floor solely for sleeping and night purposes

Hidden in the brush and tall weeds at the back of the cemetery is what once was the first thing visitors saw when they came to the hospital It served as the front gate guardhouse where a guard would stop all those who entered and left the grounds