The New York State Hospital Commission is a subdivision of the

New York State Department of Health The New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) is the department of the New York state government responsible for public health. It is headed by Health Commissioner Mary T. Bassett, who was appointed by Governor Hochul and confirmed by the S ...

. It was called the State Commission in Lunacy from 1895 to 1912.

History

In 1894

New York State New York, officially the State of New York, is a state in the Northeastern United States. It is often called New York State to distinguish it from its largest city, New York City. With a total area of , New York is the 27th-largest U.S. stat ...

adopted the

New York State Constitution The Constitution of the State of New York establishes the structure of the government of the State of New York, and enumerates the basic rights of the citizens of New York. Like most state constitutions in the United States, New York's constituti ...

. It took effect on January 1, 1895. It created a State Commission in Lunacy having "exclusive jurisdiction over all institutions for the care and treatment of the insane, epileptics and idiots". By the provisions of chapter 121 of the Laws of 1912, the State Commission in Lunacy was designated the State Hospital Commission. The Commission consisted of three commissioners appointed by the

Governor of New York The governor of New York is the head of government of the U.S. state of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has ...

for terms of six years, with the exception of New York State Medical Commissioner, who served based on his "good behavior". Every private institution for the insane had to be issued a license from the commission. By chapter 32 of the Laws of 1909, the Commission was given supervision over the expenditures of all New York State hospitals for the insane: "no disbursements for any purpose can be made by these institutions except upon quarterly estimates, which must be submitted to the Commission for revision and approval. All vouchers for the maintenance and building improvements account of the State hospitals are paid through the office of the Commission." There was also a Bureau of Deportation which acted under the direction of the Commission to return nonresident insane persons to their place of origin.

Bureaus

* New York State Bureau of Deportation

Members

* Frederick A. Higgins. * Everett S. Elwood. * Albert Warren Ferris, President from September 23, 1907 - December 27, 1911. *

Carlos Frederick MacDonald Carlos Frederick MacDonald, M.D. (August 29, 1845 – May 29, 1926) was a psychiatrist, and the chairman of the New York State Commission in Lunacy from 1880 to 1896. He was involved in the design of the first electric chair and examined Leon F ...

, chairman from 1880 to 1896. * Andrew D. Morgan, chairman 1914 to 1921. *

William Cary Sanger William Cary Sanger, Sr. (May 21, 1853 – December 6, 1921) was an American politician who served as the United States Assistant Secretary of War from 1901 to 1903. Biography He was born on May 21, 1853 in Brooklyn, New York City to Henry Sang ...

1911 to 1913. * James V. May, President December 30, 1911 - _______ * Harriet May Mills, the first women in the commission.

References

{{reflist New York State Department of Health