MTLRS71.xml Guide to the Montana Mental Disabilities Board of Visitors Records1976 Montana Mental Disabilities Board of Visitors records Finding aid prepared by Lindsey Mick Montana Historical Society 2025
Helena, MT
Finding aid encoded by Lindsey Mick15 April 2025 Finding aid written in English. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard, 2nd Edition) Montana Historical Society Library & Archives
225 N. Roberts PO Box 201201 Helena MT 59620-1201 (406) 444-2681 MHSlibrary@mt.gov
RS 71_RS 502 Montana. Mental Disabilities Board of Visitors Montana Mental Disabilities Board of Visitors records 1976 0.2 linear ft This collection is a subgroup (Board) of the Montana Office of the Governor records. The Montana Mental Disabilities Board of Visitors is administratively attached to the Governor's Office. Please see the primary finding aid for more Montana Office of the Governor records. These records of the Mental Disabilities Board of Visitors consist of the first annual report (1976), and two handbooks (1976) on commitment and treatment. 19:1-4 English. Historical Note

In 1975, the Montana Legislature created the Mental Disabilities Board of Visitors to inquiry and review Montana’s public mental health programs and Intensive Behavior Center, ensuring that patient treatment was and is humane, consistent, and meets professional standards. The Board also provides legal and advocacy services to patients at the Montana State Hospital (Warm Springs). This Board continues to operate, as of 2025.

Records consist of the first annual report (1976) of the Board to the Governor. Included in the report are bylaws, correspondence with institutions, reports of visits to Warm Springs State Hospital, Galen State Hospital, Boulder River School and Hospital, and other institutions. In addition, there are two handbooks (1976): "Handbook for the Habilitation and Commitment of the Developmentally Disabled" and "Mental Commitment and Treatment Handbook."

Collection level arrangement only. No box-folder listing available.

This collection is open for research.

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives. 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 Office of the Governor were integrated under one collection identifier, RS 502, in order to help facilitate access, reduce redundancy in the MTHS catalog, and to follow best archival practices.

Collections from the Montana Office of the Governor's various Offices and Programs that were previously treated as separate entities are now integrated into this collection, RS 502. Rather than reprocessing over 15 linear feet of Governor's 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 available upon request.

This collection is indexed under the following headings in the Montana Historical Society Research Center catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or places should search under these terms.

Montana State Hospital Galen State Hospital Montana. Mental Disabilities Board of Visitors Montana. Intensive Behavior Center Mental health services--Montana People with mental disabilities--Montana Montana Montana