Montana Historical Society Library and Archives
225 North Roberts
PO Box 201201
Helena MT 59620-1201
406-444-2681
mthslibrary@mt.gov
RS 236_RS 495
Montana. Department of Public
Welfare
Montana Department Of Public Welfare records
1933-1971
7 linear ft
This collection is a subgroup
(Predecessor Agency) of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services
records. The Department of Public Welfare was abolished in 1971 and replaced with the
Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services, which later combined with portions of the
Department of Health and Environmental Sciences to form the DPHHS. Please see the primary
finding aid for more Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services records. These records
consist of general correspondence, arranged by subject; minutes of the Division of Child
Welfare Services field staff, the Montana Relief Commission, the State Board of Public
Welfare, and the Old Age Pension Commission; organizational records; reports on public
assistance, day care facilities, and other matters; subject files on county medical plans,
legal services, and other issues; writings; and miscellany.
29:7-5
English
In 1901, Montana’s Seventh Legislative Assembly created the Montana State Board of Health.
The Board was responsible for sanitation as well as investigations regarding diseases,
epidemics, mortality, and other health-related concerns. In 1967, with the creation of the
State Department of Health, the State Board of Health was given the additional duty of
overseeing the new Department. The State Board of Health continued in an advisory capacity,
but the day-to-day administration of the state laws regarding public health and related
matters were relegated to the new Department. The State Board of Health became the
Department of Health and Environmental Sciences (DHES) in 1971 with the passage of Governor
Anderson’s Executive Reorganization Order 9-71.
The Montana Legislature established the Department of Public Welfare in 1937,
consolidating all welfare activities within the department and abolishing all other
government bodies which formerly handled these activities including: the Montana Relief
Commission, which had operated from 1933 to 1937; the Montana Old Age Pension Commission;
the Montana Orthopedic Commission; the Child Welfare Division of the Board of Health; the
State Bureau of Child and Animal Protection; and the State Board of Charities and
Reform.
The Department of Public Welfare was responsible for the administration and supervision of
all forms of public assistance including general relief, old age assistance, aid to
dependent children, all child welfare activities, and the supervision of agencies and
institutions caring for dependent, delinquent, or mentally or physically handicapped
children or adults. The Department was also responsible for developing provisions for
service to the visually impaired, provide services to county governments in respect to
organization and supervision of county welfare departments, and act as the agent of the
federal government in carrying out state and federal social security laws and the
administration of federal funds. In 1941, the Department was given the responsibility to aid
to silicosis patients; this duty was later transferred to the Industrial Accident Board in
1961. The Department was administered by a five-member State Board of Public Welfare
appointed by the governor, and a state administrator appointed by the Board.
In 1971, with the state reorganization, the Department of Public Welfare was abolished, and
its functions were assumed by the newly created Department of Social and Rehabilitation
Services (SRS). The SRS assumed the functions of various state agencies, including functions
pertaining to vocational rehabilitation and education; the Commission on Aging; and the
Council on Human Resources. The SRS administered all forms of public assistance, child
protection, and child welfare; gave consultant service to private institutions providing
care for the needy, indigent, handicapped, or dependent; developed provisions for services
to the blind; supervised county boards of public welfare; and administered all funds
allotted for public welfare activities.
In 1995, following another State government reorganization, SRS combined with portions of
the Department of Health and Environmental Sciences (DHES) to form the Department of Public
Health and Human Services (DPHHS). The Environmental Sciences Division was split from DHES
to become the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Additionally, in 1992, the
Department of Institutions was renamed the Department of Corrections and Human Services. In
1995, the Department was reorganized, with some duties and Divisions remaining with
Corrections, while others were transferred to the newly created Department of Public Health
and Human Services, including oversight of the Montana State Hospital at Warm Springs.
This collection consists of eight series: general correspondence (1934-1970); minutes
(1933-1971); organization (1934-1971, undated); printed material; reports (1937-1971);
subject files (1933-1971); writings (1970, undated); and miscellany (1934-1969, undated).
Included in this collection are records of the Montana Relief Commission and the Montana
Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services.
The general correspondence consists of files arranged by administrators and by subjects.
These files contain much interoffice correspondence and many enclosures such as legal
documents. There are many letters requesting opinions of the attorney for the Montana Relief
Commission and of the Montana Attorney General; the opinions included in the attorneys'
replies were never published. This series also contains the Director of the Division of
Public Assistance's responses to state field supervisors' field reports, which "are lengthy
comments on the relief activity in each county." The folders entitled "General Assistance
for Strikers" contain correspondence from the County Departments of Public Welfare listing
the number of families who received public assistance due to strikes, most often at the
Anaconda Copper Mining Company. The reports series contains folders entitled "Monthly
Statistical Reports" which contain statistics about old age assistance, assistance for needy
dependent children, etc. After July 1941, these are broken down according to Indian and
White recipients. Statistics covering the time before July 1941 are included in the
minutes of proceedings of the State Board of Public Welfare. These monthly statistical
reports also include statistics concerning payments for victims of silicosis.
The collection is arranged by series.
Collection open for research.
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical
Society. The Society does not necessarily hold copyright to all materials in the collection.
In some cases permission for use may require additional authorization from the copyright
owners. For more information contact an archivist.
In 2024, the various collections of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human
Services were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 495, in order to help
facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the Montana Historical Society catalog, and to
follow best archival practices.
Collections from Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services' various Divisions
and Bureaus that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 495. Rather than reprocessing over 80 linear feet
of DPHHS materials, MTHS staff decided to keep the past arrangement of those
collections/finding aids, and provide access to them via links through the central finding
aid. This decision has allowed the MTHS archival staff to maintain intellectual control over
the collection, while removing the need to reprocess it. It also keeps State Agency finding
aids at manageable sizes. Please read the scope and content note carefully to determine if
this subgroup/sub-subgroup pertains to your research needs.
Item description and date. Collection Title. Collection Number. Box and Folder numbers.
Montana Historical Society Library & Archives, Helena, Montana.
Acquisition information is available upon request.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society
Archives catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places
should search under these terms.
Child welfare--Montana
Dental public health--Montana
Depressions--1929--Montana
Indians of North America--Public
welfare--Montana
Medical care--Montana
Mental health services--Montana
Municipal government--Montana
Old age assistance--Montana
Public welfare--Montana
Silicosis--Montana
Social security--Montana
Strikes and lockouts--Copper mining--Montana
Transients, Relief of--Montana
Unemployed--Montana
Youth--Montana
Montana
Government and
Politics
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection
General Correspondence
1 / 1-1a
Administrator (W.J. Butler, William Ruffcorn, Joseph
Watson, Theodore Carkulis)
1934-1936, 1969-1971
1 / 2
Application of relief (re process of)
1934
1 / 3
Assistant Administrator (Frank McCarthy)
1934-1935
1 / 4-5
Attorney General opinions
1934-1936
1 / 6
Building leases
1934-1935
1 / 7
Bozeman Canning Company and Great Falls Meat Company
contracts
1934
1 / 8
Comptroller (J.A. Buley)
1935
1 / 9
Dental care for relief patients
1934
1 / 10
Director of Compensation (J.W. Hughes)
1934-1935
1 / 11
Director of Federal Transient Service (R.M. Canon,
Riley E. Mapes)
1934-1935
1 / 12
Director of Social Service (Samuel Gerson)
1934-1935
1 / 13
Director of the Division of Public Assistance
responses to state field supervisors' field reports (Joseph Roe for central counties)
1942-1951
1 / 14
Director of the Division of Public Assistance
responses to state field supervisors' field reports (Lillian Jelstrup for north
central counties)
1942-1952
1 / 15
Director of the Division of Public Assistance
responses to state field supervisors' field reports (John T. Murphy for northeastern
counties)
1942-1952
1 / 16
Director of the Division of Public Assistance
responses to state field supervisors' field reports (Merle Beebe for southeastern
counties)
1951-1953
1 / 17
Director of the Division of Public Assistance
responses to state field supervisors' field reports (Lillian Obst for southeastern
counties)
1942-1953
1 / 18
Director of the Division of Public Assistance
responses to state field supervisors' field reports (T.J. Sivalon for southwestern
counties)
1942-1953
1 / 19
Director of the Division of Public Assistance
responses to state field supervisors' field reports (J.A. Lehr for northwestern
counties)
1942-1953
1 / 20
Executive Secretary (Royal L. Mann)
1935
1 / 21
Fraudulent attempts to obtain relief
1934-1935
1 / 22
General assistance for strikers (Cascade County)
1959-1960
1 / 23
General assistance for strikers (Deer Lodge County)
1959-1960, 1967-1968
1 / 24
General assistance for strikers (Granite and
Jefferson counties)
1959-1960
1 / 25
General assistance for strikers (Lewis and Clark
County)
1959-1960
1 / 26
General assistance for strikers (Powell County)
1959
1 / 27-30
General assistance for strikers (Silver Bow County)
1959-1963, 1967-1968
1 / 31
Helena Synagogue (re offer of building to Montana
Relief Commission by Helena Jewish community)
1934-1936
1 / 32
Lower Yellowstone Irrigation Project
1934-1935
1 / 33
Medical care for relief recipients
1934
1 / 34
Memorandum from the attorney for the Montana Relief
Commission
1934
1 / 35
Memorandum to field supervisors and county personnel
1969-1970
1 / 36
Montana State Land Board resolution pertaining to
state land for water reservoirs
1934
2 / 1
Old age pension
1934-1936
2 / 2
Optical care for relief recipients
1934
2 / 3
Pasture and hay contracts
1934
2 / 4
Petroleum County purchase of oil well casing
1934
2 / 5
Proposed legislation regarding funding and structure
of relief agencies
1935
2 / 6
Reports by field supervisors to the director of the
Division of Public Assistance on district meetings and Aid to Dependent Children
reviews
1955-1958
2 / 7-10
Requests for statistical information
1937-1959, 1965
2 / 11
Sale of wool and pelts to the Illinois Emergency
Relief Commission
1937
2 / 12
Silver Bow County Poor Fund
1961-1962
2 / 12a
U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare
1969-1971
2 / 13
Valentine-Blood Creek Reservoir
1934-1937
2 / 14
Water conservation
1934-1935
2 / 15
Well drilling
1934-1935
2 / 16
Yellowstone County Trades and Labor Assembly vs.
Yellowstone County Emergency Relief Board (re dispute over wages)
1934
Minutes
2 / 17-19
Division of Child Welfare Services field staff
meetings
1963-1971
2 / 20
Division of Child Welfare Services field staff
meetings: index
1971
2 / 21-24
Field staff supervisors' meetings
1941, 1945-1959
2 / 25
Governor's Joint Committee for Mental Health and
Mental Retardation meetings
1962-1967
2 / 27
Interagency Children and Youth Committee meetings
1960-1970
2 / 27
Interagency Council on Mental Retardation meetings
1960-1970
2 / 28-29
Montana Relief Commission meetings
1933-1935
3 / 1-2
Montana Relief Commission meetings
1935-1937
Vol. 1-5
State Board of Public Welfare meetings
1937-1971
3 / 3-6
State Board of Public Welfare meetings
1958-1971
3 / 7
State Old Age Pension Commission meetings
1936-1937
Organization
3 / 8
Organizational chart, personnel lists, and program
descriptions
1965-1967, undated
3 / 8a
Reorganization plan (Task Force on Social and
Rehabilitation Services)
1971
Reports
3 / 8b
"Causes for turnover in the occupational environment
of Montana welfare workers," by W. Kenneth Calvin ("Calvin Study")
1968
3 / 9
County supervisors' meeting reports describing the
duties and functions of county supervisors
1949-1950
3 / 10
Day care facilities for children: reports to the
State Department of Public Welfare
1960
3 / 11
Medical Assistance for the Aged Program applicant
case characteristics: statistical reports
1966
3 / 12-19
Monthly statistical reports on public assistance
1937-1947
4 / 1-19
Monthly statistical reports on public assistance
1948-1957
5 / 1-7
Monthly statistical reports on public assistance
1958-1966
5 / 7a
Orientation and Mobility Project: interim report
1969
5 / 8
Reasons for opening public assistance cases,
statistical reports
1946-1953
5 / 9-10
Service to individual children by public welfare
agencies: reports to the U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare
1944-1959
5 / 11
Summaries of conferences held between Division of
Public Assistance individual field supervisors and Division personnel
1947-1950
5 / 11a
Summary of accomplishments
1969-1970
5 / 11b
Survey of County and City Jails
1939-1940
5 / 11c
Survey of County Farm Homes, Hospitals, and Private
Hospitals
1939-1940
5 / 12
War ration books issued
1943-1944
5 / 13
Ward Indians: summary of discussions held at a
meeting attended by Aid to Dependent Children program workers with large ward Indian
caseloads
1955
5 / 14
Miscellaneous (includes "Report of information for
the Governor's Committee on Reorganization and Economy"; activities relating to
medical aspects of public assistance; eligibility in the Aid to Families with
Dependent Children Program; homemaker services and home health care; foster care for
the aged)
1941-1970
Subject Files
5 / 15
Aid to Dependent Children program
1961-1966
5 / 16
Carbon County relief
1933-1935
5 / 17
County medical plans
1955-1958
5 / 18
County medical plans: Montana Medical Association
1955-1960
5 / 19-23
County medical plans: B-Y
1957-1964
5 / 24
Cuban refugees
1961-1967
5 / 25
Division of Child Welfare Services
1959-1971
6 / 1
Division of Public Assistance district field staff
meetings
1947-1950
6 / 2
Division of Public Assistance field staff supervisors
workshop
1950
6 / 3
Federal Surplus Commodities Corporation
1936
6 / 4
Governor's Joint Committee on Mental Health and
Mental Retardation
1962-1967
6 / 5
Juvenile courts
1946-1959
6 / 6-7
Legal services for the indigent project
1968-1971
6 / 8
Missoula County relief
1935-1936
6 / 9
Model Cities Coordinating Committee
1970-1971
6 / 10
Montana Association for the Advancement of Social
Workers
1967-1968
6 / 11
Montana Mental Retardation Planning and
Implementation Committee
1964-1968
6 / 12
Petroleum County relief
1933-1934
6 / 13
Sheep pelts and wool, sale of in Iowa and New York
1936
6 / 14-15
Social Security
1935-1937
6 / 16
Sweet Grass County relief (bulk of material on a
single fraud case)
1933-1934
6 / 17
Work Projects Administration (re effects of
liquidation of WPA on requests made to public agencies for assistance)
1941-1942
Writings
6 / 18
"The Grapevine," (newsletter of the Division of Staff
Development)
1970
6 / 19
Personnel manual (draft)
undated
Miscellany
6 / 20
Blank forms
1934-1935
6 / 21
Division of Child Welfare Services field staff
orientation outline and guidelines for submitting field reports
1966, undated
6 / 22-23
Old-age assistance plan submitted to the U.S. Social
Security Board
1937
6 / 24
Relief cases synopsis
1934
6 / 25-26
State plan for aid to needy dependent children
submitted to the U.S. Social Security Board
undated
6 / 27
State plan for vocational rehabilitation service for
the blind
undated
6 / 28
Statistical compilation (includes poor fund budgets,
federal program expenditures, etc.)
1946-1969