Series GR-0379 - Mental Health Services executive records

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Mental Health Services executive records

General material designation

  • textual record

Parallel title

Other title information

Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

  • Source of title proper: Title based on contents of the series.

Level of description

Series

Reference code

GR-0379

Edition area

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)

  • 1948-1971 (Creation)

Physical description area

Physical description

2.12 m of textual records

Publisher's series area

Title proper of publisher's series

Parallel titles of publisher's series

Other title information of publisher's series

Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

Numbering within publisher's series

Note on publisher's series

Archival description area

Name of creator

(1946-1959)

Biographical history

The Ministry of Health was established in 1946 under its first name, the Department of Health and Welfare, with the enactment of the Department of Health and Welfare Act (SBC 1946, c. 31). Prior to that, public health services in British Columbia began in 1869 following the passage of An Ordinance for Promoting the Public Health in the Colony of British Columbia. When British Columbia joined confederation in 1871, the ordinance became part of the statutes.

With the passage of the Public Health Act in 1893, the Provincial Board of Health was formed, reporting to the Attorney-General. From 1907 to 1946, the functions of public health, social welfare, and social assistance were administered by a Provincial Health Officer reporting to the Provincial Board of Health in the Dept. of the Provincial Secretary.

With the establishment of the Dept. of Health and Welfare in 1946, responsibility for public health and social welfare in the province was transferred to the new department from the Provincial Secretary. The deputy minister of health was the Provincial Health Officer and the department was divided into two branches: public health and social welfare. A third branch, Hospital Insurance Services, was added in 1948 with the passage of the Hospital Insurance Act (SBC 1948, c. 28). It administered payment of hospital bills, hospital management, and hospital construction.

In 1959, the functions of health and social welfare were separated to form two new departments, the Dept. of Social Welfare and the Dept. of Health Services and Hospital Insurance (SBC 1959, c. 38).

Name of creator

(1959-1973)

Biographical history

The Dept. of Health Services and Hospital Insurance was established in 1959 in accordance with the Department of Health Services and Hospital Insurance Act (SBC 1946, c. 31). The Dept. of Health Services and Hospital Insurance was the successor to the Department of Health and Welfare which was originally responsible for both the functions of public health and social welfare. (SBC 1959, c. 38). In 1959, the functions of health and social welfare were separated to form two new departments, the Dept. of Social Welfare and the Dept. of Health Services and Hospital Insurance.

The newly named Dept. of Health Services and Hospital Insurance was originally organized into three branches: health, mental health services (transferred from the jurisdiction of Provincial Secretary), and hospital insurance service. Another government reorganization in 1972, and a major review of provincial health services, eliminated the Mental Health Branch by assigning its resources to various components within the department. The department was renamed the Dept. of Health in 1973 (SBC 1973, c. 109).

Custodial history

Scope and content

These are the files of the Deputy Minister of Mental Health Services, primarily for the period 1968-1970. The files include some material from the previous Deputy Minister and Directors of the Mental Health Services under the Provincial Secretary.

The records are arranged in a subject classification system. Files that begin with I-4 and I-5 are Professional files. Files that are in the range I-6 to I-20 are Technical files.

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Transferred from the Ministry of Health, 1978.

Arrangement

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. To protect the privacy of certain individuals (in accordance with section 22 of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act) some names have been severed from this finding aid. Please contact the Information and Privacy Section if you have any questions.

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Associated materials

Related materials

Accruals

General note

Accession number(s): GR-0379

Alternative identifier(s)

Standard number area

Standard number

Access points

Place access points

Genre access points

Control area

Description record identifier

Accession area