The Montana Relief Commission was established by the 1933 Montana legislature to administer federal funds provided by the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. The Commission, which consisted of of 5 members, could appoint county committees to administer funds locally. The Commission established rules for applying for relief, for maintaining adequate standards, and making reports. As the national and state-wide depression worsened, a special session of the 1933 Legislature set up an emergency relief fund to be administered by the Commission, and also appropriated $750,000 for the Commission to provide employment for the unemployed.
In 1935 the Legislature passed a new law codifying the various relief measures which had previously been passed and created a State Department of Public Relief to be the administrative arm of the Commission. The duties of the Commission were also expanded and funding increased to $3,000,000. A Montana Relief Administrator was appointed to head the Department.
In 1937, the Montana Relief Commission merged with the Old Age Pension Fund, 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 to form the new Montana Department of Public Welfare. In 1971, following the state government reoganization, the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services replaced the Department of Public Welfare. In 1995, the Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services combined with parts of the Department of Heath and Environmental Sciences to form the Department of Public Health and Human Services.
This collection consists of interoffice correspondence regarding earthquake fund allocations; financial records, including emergency fund transmittals, auditors reports, and daily reports; and miscellany, including a list of personnel of the County Emergency Relief Committee.
The collection is arranged by series
Collection open for research.
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of the Montana Historical Society Library & Archives. The Library & Archives 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
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.
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection