Willowbrook Mental Hospital Staten Island
For decades the state used the facility as a warehouse for children and.
Willowbrook mental hospital staten island. Willowbrook state school was a state supported institution for children with intellectual disabilities located in the willowbrook neighborhood on staten island in new york city from 1947 until 1987. Bill pierce the life images collection getty disease. Willowbrook state school was a state supported institution for children with intellectual disabilities located in the willowbrook neighborhood on staten island in new york city from 1947 until 1987. Nov 18 2019 explore angela baxter s board willowbrook state school on pinterest.
At willowbrook a staten island institution for the mentally disabled residents were left to languish in squalor with little medical or other care. At the time it was the biggest state run institution for people with mental disabilities in the united states. It was the largest mental institution in the united states and host to some of the country s most deplorable living conditions. Migdalia and thousands like her had grown up in the willowbrook state school a notorious institution on staten island.
Construction was completed in 1942 but instead of opening for its original purpose it was converted into a united states army hospital and named halloran general hospital after the late colonel paul stacey halloran. When construction was completed in 1942 the buildings were converted to a united states army hospital named halloren general hospital. The first the american public heard of the horrors of willowbrook was from a speech made by a promising young politician. One of the most infamous modern institutions was the willowbrook state developmental center located on staten island in new york.
Willowbrook closed in 1987. People were often hidden away in mental institutions that did more harm than good. Before this mental health issues were largely swept under the rug. Now vanessa leigh.
In 1938 in a 375 acre section of willowbrook staten island construction started on a hospital for mentally handicapped children. In 1938 plans were formulated to build a facility for mentally retarded children on a 375 acres 1 5 km site in the willowbrook section of the staten island. Willowbrook state school. Mentally ill patients sit on benches and on the floor in the women s ward at willowbrook state school staten island new york january 1972.
The school was designed for 4 000 but by 1965 it had a population of 6 000.