Guide to the David Birnbach New York State Dept. Of Mental Hygiene Oral History Records,
1983-2002.

Collection Number: 6821

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library

Contact Information:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
2B Carl A. Kroch Library
Cornell University
Ithaca, NY 14853
(607) 255-3530
Fax: (607) 255-9524
rareref@cornell.edu
http://rmc.library.cornell.edu
Compiled by:
RMC Staff
Date completed:
July 2011
EAD encoding:
RMC Staff, July 2011
Date modified:
RMC Staff, July 2011

© 2012 Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
David Birnbach New York State Dept. of Mental Hygiene Oral History records, 1983-2002.
Collection Number:
6821
Creator:
Birnbach
Quantity:
3.2 cubic feet.
Forms of Material:
Audio tapes, correspondence, transcripts
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library
Abstract:
Audio recordings and transcriptions of interviews David Birnbach conducted with former staff of New York State mental hospitals.
Language:
Collection material in English

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

David Birnbach worked at New York State's Suffolk Developmental Center from 1977-1979 and at Willard Psychiatric Center from 1979-1983.
COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

Audio recordings and transcriptions of interviews David Birnbach conducted with former staff of New York State mental hospitals including Willard, Gowanda, St. Lawrence, Rochester, Sunmount, Pilgrim, and Rockland in 1983 and 1984. The interviews from Gowanda were the most comprehensive. Also particularly important are interviews from St. Lawrence, the first state hospital in the nation to open all its locked wards, and Rochester with its focus on leadership and integration in an urban setting. Also included are research materials on the subject and a draft of Birnbach's research results finished in 2002 and titled "Before, during, and shortly after the custody, care and treatment revolution: An oral history of the New York State Department of Mental Hygiene, 1928-1983."
SUBJECTS

Names:
Birnbach, David.
Gowanda Psychiatric Center (N.Y.)
New York (State). Dept. of Mental Hygiene.
Rochester Psychiatric Center (N.Y.)
St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center (Ogdensburg, N.Y.)
Willard Psychiatric Center (N.Y.)
Willard State Hospital (N.Y.)

Subjects:
Mental retardation facilities -- New York (State).
Psychiatric hospitals -- New York (State) -- History.

Form and Genre Terms:
Audiocassettes.
INFORMATION FOR USERS

Access Restrictions:
This collection may only be used for consultation. No reproductions can be made without permission of the archivist. No publication of information within this collection can be made without permission of the archivist. Use of names from this collection anywhere may only be done with permission of the archivist. A name index of the interviewees is available offline. Researchers may request confirmation of inclusion of individuals in the collection by name. The complete list of names can be accessed with the permission of the archivist.
Cite As:
David Birnbach New York State Dept. of Mental Hygiene Oral History records, #6821. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
CONTAINER LIST

Date
Description
Container
1973, 1981-1983
Binghamton Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 1
Salary list from 1887, History Pamphlets, Journal Article, Transcript of tapes 2-6 (Box 6)
1983
Binghamton Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 2
Correspondence, Transcript of Tapes 9-10 (Box 4)
1983
Gowanda State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 3
Synopses, Transcript
1983
Gowanda State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 4
Synopsis, Correspondence, Transcript of Tape 6 (Box 3)
1983-1984
Gowanda State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 5
Two checks, Synopsis, Consent and Release form, Transcript of Tape 5 (Box 3)
1984
Gowanda State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 6
Correspondence, Transcript of Tapes 11-12 (Box 3)
1983-1984
Gowanda State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 7
Synopsis, Correspondence, Consent and Release Form, Transcript of Tape 1 (Box 4)
1983-1984
Gowanda State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 8
Synopsis, Consent and Release form and check, Transcript of Tape tape 4 (Box 3)
1983-1984
Gowanda State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 9
Synopses, Transcripts of Tapes 5-6 (Box 4), Consent and Release Forms, Correspondence
1983-1984
Gowanda State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 10
Correspondence, Synopsis, Transcript of Tapes 2-4 (Box 4)
1983-1984
Gowanda State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 11
Synopsis, Consent and Release Forms and checks, Correspondence, Transcript of Tapes 9-10 (Box 3)
1983-1985
Gowanda State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 12
Synopsis, Consent and Release Forms and Checks, Correspondence, Transcript of Tapes 7-8 (Box 3)
1983-1985
Gowanda State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 13
Synopsis, Consent and Release Forms and Checks, Correspondence, Previous Work Experience, Transcript of Tape 13 (Box 3)
1983, 2006
Gowanda State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 14
Synopsis, Consent and Release Forms and Checks, Correspondence, Transcript of Tape 1 (Box 3)
1983
Gowanda State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 15
Consent and Release Forms and Checks, Correspondence, Transcript of Tapes 2-3 (Box 3)
1983
Gowanda State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 16
Synopsis, Correspondence, Transcript of Tapes 7-8 (Box 4)
1983
Pilgrim State Hospital
 Box 1 Folder 17
Correspondence, Work History, Articles, Bibliography Transcript of Tapes 11-13 (Box 4)
1984
Rochester Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 18
Transcript of Tapes 3-5 (Box 9)
1984
Rochester Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 19
Transcript of Tapes 5-6 (Box 9)
1983
Rochester Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 20
Transcript of Tapes 6-7 (Box 9)
1983
Rochester Psychiatric Center
Box 1 Folder 21
Transcript of Tapes 12-14 (Box 10)
1984
Rochester Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 22
Transcript of Tapes 8-9 (Box 10)
1983, 1987
Rochester Psychiatric Center
Box 1 Folder 23, 25
Correspondence, Transcript of Tapes 7-8 (Box 10), Articles
1984
Rochester Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 24
Transcript of Tapes 10-12 (Box 9)
1984
Rochester Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 26
Transcript of tapes 7-9 (Box 9)
1983
Rockland Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 27
Newspaper Article, Transcript of Tapes 6-7 (Box 8)
1983
St. Lawrence
 Box 1 Folder 28
Floppy Disk, Transcript of tapes 4-5(Box 10)
1983
St. Lawrence
 Box 1 Folder 29
Transcript of Tapes 9-11 (Box 7)
1983
St. Lawrence
 Box 1 Folder 30
Transcript of tapes 14-15 (Box 7)
1983
St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 31
Transcript of Tapes 15 (Box 7) and 1 (Box 10)
1981
St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 32
Transcript of Tapes 11-12 (Box 7)
1983
St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 33
Transcript of Tapes 13 (Box 7)
1983
St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 34
Transcript of Tapes 7-8 (Box 7)
1983
St. Lawrence Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 35
Transcript of Tapes 2-3 (Box 10)
1983
Sunmount Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 36
Transcript of Tapes 12-14 (Box 8)
1983
Willard Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 37
Transcript of Tapes 10-11 (Box 10)
1983
Willard Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 38
Transcript of Tapes 13-14 (Box 5)
1983
Willard Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 39
Transcript of Tapes 5-7 (Box 5)
1983
Willard Center
 Box 1 Folder 40
Transcript of Tapes 3-4 (Box 5)
1983
Willard Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 41
Transcript of Tape 10 (Box 5)
1983
Willard Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 42
Transcript of Tapes 15-16 (Box 5)
1983
Willard Psychiatric Center
 Box 1 Folder 43
Transcript of Tapes 11-12 (Box 5)
1983
Department of Mental Hygiene
 Box 1 Folder 44
Transcript of Tape 1 (Box 8)
1983
Department of Mental Hygiene
 Box 1 Folder 45
Correspondence, Articles, Transcript of Tapes 11-12 (Box 7)
1983
New York State Psychiatric Institute
 Box 1 Folder 46
Transcript of Tape 3 (Box 8)
1983
Transcript
 Box 1 Folder 47
Transcript of Tape 1 (Box 6)
1983
Transcript
 Box 1 Folder 48
Transcript of Tapes 1-2 (Box 8)
2001-2002
Book Correspondence
 Box 1 Folder 49
Articles, Correspondence
1978
History of Willard Asylum for the Insane and the Willard State Hospital
Box 1 Folder 50
1981, 1995-1996
Bibliography
 Box 1 Folder 51
Articles
1954-1955, 1975
Bibliography
 Box 1 Folder 52
Articles: History of the Department of Mental Hygiene, State Hospitals for the Mentally Ill
1981,1991, 1999
Bibliography
 Box 1 Folder 53
Articles on Mental Health, Questionnaire, Notes
1982-1983
Bibliography
 Box 1 Folder 54
Newspaper Articles pertaining to mental health
1982, 2007
Bibliography-Willard Asylum for the Insane
 Box 1 Folder 55
Newspaper Articles
1981, 2000
Bibliography
 Box 1 Folder 56
Book Search Records, Articles
1980-1985
Bibliography
 Box 1 Folder 57
Miscellaneous articles
1978-1982
Statistics
 Box 1 Folder 58
Correspondence, Various Hospital Patient and Staff Statistics
1952
Albert Deutsch "The Mentally Ill in america"
 Box 2 Folder 1
Interview Question Cards
 Box 2 Folder 2
1982-1986
Notebooks
 Box 2 Folder 3-4
Annual Reports and Outline,Various Hospitals
1966-1970
Willard State Hospital Annual Reports
 Box 2 Folder 5
2002
Working Book Draft
 Box 2 Folder 6
CD copies, Printed Draft
1906
Handbook of the Department and State Hospitals
 Box 2 Folder 7
1916-1931
Willard State Hospital Annual Records (Book)
Box 2 Folder 8
1990
Pictorial Album of the Willard Asylum, 1869-1886
 Box 2 Folder 9
1870-1881
Laws Relating to Willard Asylum for the Insane and Rules and Regulations of Said Asylum
Box 2 Folder 10
1976,1981
Hospital and Community Psychiatry
 Box 2 Folder 11-12
1894
Charles Mercer "Lunatic Asylums: Their Organisation and Management"
 Box 2 Folder 13
1895
Twenty-Seventh Annual Report of the Trustees of Willard State Hospital (Book)
Box 2 Folder 14
1983-1984
Interview Tapes
 Box 3-10
Alphabetic listing of names of interviewees is available offline. Patrons may request confirmation of inclusion of individuals from staff.
September 1983
Gowanda
Box 3
October 1983
Gowanda
Box 4
April, June 1984
Willowbrook
Box 5
October - November 1983
Binghamptom, Pilgrim
Box 6
November - December 1983
Pilgrim, St. Lawrence
Box 7
September 1983, April 1984
Albany, Rockland, Sunmount
Box 8
April, June 1984
Rochester, Willowbrook
Box 9
December 1983, January 1984
Rochester, St. Lawrence
Box 10
1983-1984
Interview Tape Copies
 Box 11-15
Alphabetic listing of names of interviewees is available offline. Patrons may request confirmation of inclusion of individuals from staff.