Hospital Commission, State

In 1867, the legislature established the Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities to inspect and report to the legislature all publicly funded charitable and custodial institutions. Legislation in 1873 replaced this board with a new State Board of Charities, mandated licensing of public and private institutions for the mentally ill, and created the office of state commissioner in lunacy. This commissioner's office was abolished in 1889 and replaced by an independent State Commission in Lunacy consisting of three gubernatorial appointees. The 1894 State Constitution subsequently transferred the responsibility of inspecting mental institutions from the State Board of Charities to this commission. In 1890, the State took on the entire responsibility for the care of New York State's mentally ill. The State thereby began providing for the care of all indigent mentally ill at State expense in State institutions and prohibited their confinement in jails and poorhouses. In 1912, the commission was renamed the State Hospital Commission and was given responsibility for the administration of the State's mental hospitals. As part of the constitutional reorganization of State government, the Department of Mental Hygiene was established in 1926. The new department took over all functions of the State Hospital Commission and the State Commission for Mental Defectives, which were abolished.