Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
Mental Health Services Director's administrative records
General material designation
- textual record
- graphic material
- architectural drawing
- multiple media
Parallel title
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Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Title based on contents of the series.
Level of description
Series
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Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
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1907-1961 (Creation)
- Creator
- British Columbia. Mental Health Services
Physical description area
Physical description
4 m of textual records and 3 architectural plans
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
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Numbering within publisher's series
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The provision of mental health services had its beginning in October 1872 when the Royal Hospital in Victoria was designated as the first Provincial Asylum under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Secretary.
On April 1, 1950 the British Columbia Mental Health Service was formally established and various mental health activities were amalgamated including New Westminster Hospital (which became Woodlands School), Colquitz Provincial Mental Hospital for the Criminally Insane (in Victoria), Essondale (including Crease clinic) and the Home for the Aged (in Coquitlam, Vernon and Terrace).
In 1959, Mental Health Services was transferred to the Dept. of Health Services and Hospital Insurance. The name was changed in 1967 to Mental Health Branch and changed again in 1975 to Mental Health Programs. The name reverted to Mental Health Services in 1980.
Between 1959 and 1968 the positions of Director and Deputy Minister were held by the same person. In 1968 the positions were separated, with Dr. H.W. Bridge as the Director of Mental Health Services, located in Vancouver, and Dr. F.G. Tucker as the Deputy Minister, located in Victoria. In September 1971 the position of Director was terminated. The statutory obligations of the Director were assumed by the Deputy Minister.
Custodial history
Scope and content
The series consists of the administrative files of the Director of Mental Health Services. The bulk of the records are general correspondence, monthly reports (i.e. statistical summaries) and project files relating to the administration of the province's mental health care facilities.
Most of the files consist of Dr. Crease's general administrative files, however, many of the files predate Dr. Crease's administration (1926-1950) and some extend as far back as 1907. General correspondence is filed chronologically, while project files are maintained by subject. Included in the subject files is a series of correspondence from the C.C.F. leader Ernest Winch (MLA for Burnaby) who took a special interest in the provision of Mental Health Services.
Also included in this series are "monthly reports" - statistical summaries - pertaining to the operations of provincial mental health facilities and three architectural drawings (re-accessioned as M889129).
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Transferred to the Provincial Archives by the Mental Health Branch, 1972.
Arrangement
3 photographs and 3 architectural plans were removed from the files in 1989 and re-accessioned in the Visual Records and Map units. The photograph were refiled within their original files (box 3, file 2 and box 12, file 2) in 2018.
Language of material
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
These records are restricted. Please contact the BC Archives for information about access.
Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication
Finding aids
- Finding aid: box/file list.
- http://search-bcarchives.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/Document/Finding_Aids_Atom/GR-0501_to_GR-1000/gr-0542.pdf
Associated materials
Accruals
General note
Accession number(s): GR-0542; 198602-002; M889129
Alternative identifier(s)
Standard number area
Standard number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Crease, Arthur Lionel, d. 1974 (Subject)
- Winch, Ernest Edward, 1879-1957 (Subject)
- Provincial Mental Home, Colquitz (Subject)
- British Columbia. Mental Health Services (Subject)