Northampton (Mass.) Area Mental Health Services – Special Collections & University Archives

Northampton Area Mental Health Services Records

1973-1983

4 boxes 6 linear feet

Call no.: MS 027

In 1973 Hampshire Day House was established to provide day treatment to patients released from the Northampton State Hospital, which first opened as the Northampton Lunatic Asylum in 1858. As the Day House expanded its services it became known as the Northampton Area Mental Health Services (NAMHS). Valley Programs assumed responsibility for the operation of residential programs for deinstitutionalized individuals in Hampshire and Franklin counties in 1983, and seven years later the NAMHS and Valley Programs merged.

The collection consists of reports, financial records, board minutes, and correspondence for the Hampshire Day House.

Background on Northampton Area Mental health Services

In 1970, Anthony Virgilo, aware that the Northampton School for Girls was about to vacate their campus, set out to fill a gap in the area’s community mental health services by establishing a “comprehensive center with children’s residential and adult outpatient services” on the site. The Associations for Mental Health and Retarded Citizens were enlisted to begin a lobbying the state to appropriate $1,000,000 to purchase the property.

During the three years of bureaucratic delays with the state, the Hampshire Day House committee searched for a temporary home and found it in the Conant House on Pomeroy Terrace. This temporary house became a day treatment facility, opening its doors on February 15, 1973, with funding from the state as well as local hospitals and citizens.

In 1974, the owners of the 11 buildings that made up the Northampton School for Girls, tired of delays from the state, sold the property to a local church and private investors. The mental health community responded with frustration and anger. In the wake of protests, the state agreed to buy seven of the buildings recently sold and renovate those for the program.

In 1975, however, just as the Hampshire Day House thought they were finally going to begin the renovation process, the buildings were vandalized, and plumbing, heating and even the electrical fixtures were destroyed, making the buildings uninhabitable. With no more funds to rent and the threat of having the Conant House sold right out from underneath them, Mental Health Commissioner Goldman stepped in. Without delay, he offered to finance HDH’s stay at 71 Pomeroy Terrace for the next five years while the Northampton School for Girls property was renovated.

In 1979, the Department of Mental Health Services received approval to renovate the Hathaway House, located on the property of the former School for Girls, and offered it as a permanent home to the Hampshire Day House. On December 12, 1982, days before HDH was set to move to their new location, the building was destroyed in a fire.

Despite the delays and acts of vandalism, the Hampshire Day House continued to thrive and provide services to those who needed them. It became a safe haven for the mentally ill where they were provided with group activities, arts and crafts, therapeutic sessions, and trips to local areas of interest.

In 1983, Hampshire Day House expanded its services to including outpatient and other mental health services and changed its name to Northampton Area Mental Health Services (NAMHS). Over the next twelve years, the newly named NAMHS merged two more times, resulting in its current name ServiceNet. Currently they have expanded its services to the local community from mental health services to behavioral health services, addiction and abuse.

Contents of Collection

The records of the Northampton Area Mental Health Services offer insight into the administrative management of the program. With an emphasis on the financial operation and its partnership with the Department of Mental Health, the collection does not focus on client treatment or services. Materials included are correspondence, minutes, newspaper articles, audits, financial documents, and mental health manuals/procedures, representing the Hampshire Day House from its conception in 1970 to its merger in 1983 with Northampton Area Mental Health Services.

Inventory of Collection

Accounting System Specifications for Department of Mental Health Vendors	1981		Box 1: 1
Annual Report for Ambulatory Care Facilities	1974		Box 1: 2
Annual Report to Board of Directors and Staff	1984		Box 1: 3
Blue Cross Reimbursment Agreement	1977		Box 1: 4
Board Letters of Resignation	1976-1979		Box 1: 5
Board Members Listing: Board Members Business Letters	1974-1977		Box 1: 6
Business Letters	1974-1978		Box 1: 7
Business Services for Medicine INC.: Proposal for Hampshire Day House	1981		Box 1: 8
Certificate of Corporate Vote	1975-1977		Box 1: 9
Certificate of Existance	1975-1978		Box 1: 10
Community Client Record System Handbook	1980		Box 1: 11
Congressional Correspondence: City Hall Correspondence	1981		Box 1: 12
Connecticut General Insurance Reimbursment Justification	1981		Box 1: 13
Consent Decree, Determination of Funding Adequacy and Justification	1980		Box 1: 14
Contract for Lease: Correspondence	1979-1984		Box 1: 15
Contract Proposal	1979-1981		Box 1: 16
Contract Procurment Manual	1980	Part 1	Box 1: 17
Contract Procurment Manual	1980	Part 2	Box 1: 18
Contract Procurment Manual	1980	Part 3	Box 1: 19
Contract Procurment Manual	1980	Part 4	Box 1: 20
Control Data Medical Services	undated		Box 1: 21
Cost Reporting	1978-1981		Box 1: 22
Daily Hampshire Gazette Newspaper Clipping	1981		Box 1: 23
Department of mental Health Adequacy Request and Instruction	1982		Box 1: 24
Department of Mental health Affirmative Action	1981	Part 1	Box 1: 25
Department of Mental Health Affirmative Action	1981	Part 2	Box 1: 26
Department of Mental Health Affirtative Action Plan	1981		Box 1: 27
Department of Mental Health Office Correspondence	1981		Box 1: 28
Department of Mental Health Approval Services	1977		Box 1: 29
Department of Mental Health Central Office Bulletins	1981		Box 1: 30
Department of Mental Health Contracts/Amendments	1981		Box 1: 31
Department of Mental Health Contract Draft Budget	1982		Box 1: 32
Department of Mental Health Contract and Amended Budgets	1982		Box 1: 33
Department of Mental Health Contract Ammendment	1981		Box 1: 34
Department of Mental Health Contract and Amendment B	1982		Box 1: 35
Department of Mental Health Contracts and Ammendments	1981-1982		Box 1: 36
Dempartment of Mental Health Contract Forms	1983		Box 1: 37
Department of Mental Health Contract Proposal and Adolescent Placement	1981		Box 1: 38
Department of Mental Health Contract Package Forms and Cleaning Contract	1981-1982		Box 1: 39
Department of Mental Health Correspondence, Agreement and Financial Agreements	1981		Box 1: 40
Department of Mental Health, Mental Health Regulations Draft	1981		Box 2: 1
Department of Mental Health Partnership Agreement and Operating Manual	1977		Box 2: 2
Department of Mental Health Partnership Agreement	1977-1978		Box 2: 3
Department of Mental Health Partnership Agreements	1980		Box 2: 4
Department of Mental Health Partnership Agreement	1982		Box 2: 5
Department of Mental Health Trust Fund Memorandom	1979		Box 2: 6
Department of Public Health, Annual Mental Health Report	1978		Box 2: 7
Department of Public Health, Application for Determination of Need	undated		Box 2: 8
Employer’s Quarterly Report	1976-1979		Box 2: 9
Executive Office of Health Services, General Conditions	undated		Box 2: 10
Fair Information Practices Act	1975		Box 2: 11
Federal Census of Service	1977		Box 2: 12
Federal Tax Return	1976-1981		Box 2: 13
Federal Tax Return Correspondence	1980-1981		Box 2: 14
Fight Mental Illness Correspondence	1971		Box 2: 15
Fight Mental Illness Correspondence	1972		Box 2: 16
Fight Mental Illness Correspondence	1973		Box 2: 17
Fight Mental Illness Correspondence	1974		Box 2: 18
Finance Commitee	1981-1982		Box 2: 19
Fire Damage Reports and Correspondence	1981		Box 2: 20
First Draft Position Paper on the Northampton State Hospital Consent Decree	1976		Box 2: 21
Fiscal Record Correspondence	1981-1982		Box 2: 22
Fiscal Record Correspondence	1981-1982		Box 2: 23
Hampshire County Purchasing Department	1981-1982		Box 2: 24
Hampshire Day House: 10th Anniversary Celebration Invitations	1983		Box 2: 25
Hapshire Day House: Agreements and Correspondence	1979		Box 2: 26
Hampshire Day House: Annual Board Picnic	1980		Box 2: 27
Hampshire Day House: Annual Dinner	1979		Box 2: 28
Hampshire Day House: Audit Report	1979		Box 2: 29
Hampshire Day House: Audit Correspondence	1982		Box 2: 30
Hampshire Day House: Balance Sheet and Financial Data	1978-1983		Box 2: 31
Hampshire Day House: Balance Sheet and Financial Statement	1980		Box 2: 32
Hampshire Day House: Board Correspondence	1980		Box 2: 33
Hampshire Day House: Board Minutes	1979		Box 2: 34
Hampshire Day House: Board Minutes	1980		Box 2: 35
Hampshire Day House: Board Financial Data	1979		Box 2: 36
Hampshire Day House: Budget for Fiscal Year	1980		Box 2: 37
Hampshire Day House: Contract with an Individual	1980		Box 2: 38
Hampshire Day House Correspondence	1982		Box 2: 39
Hampshire Day House: Correspondence	1980		Box 2: 40
Hampshire Day House: Correspondence, Client Reviews and House Details	1981		Box 2: 41
Hampshire Day House: Correspondance	1981		Box 2: 42
Hampshire Day House: Correspondence and Contract Manual	1982		Box 2: 43
Hampshire Day House: Financial Development Correspondence	1980		Box 2: 44
Hampshire Day House: Fire and Sdafety Inspection Certificate	1980		Box 2: 45
Hampshire Day House Grant Writing Data and Fundraising Data	1980		Box 2: 46
Hampshire Day House: History	1970-1982		Box 2: 47
Hampshire Day House: Letter of Approval and Agreement	1974-1981		Box 3: 1
Hampshire Day House: Board Data	1982		Box 3: 2
Hampshire Day House: Brochure	undated		Box 3: 3
Hampshire Day House: Personnel Policies and Procedures	1981		Box 3: 4
Hampshire Day House: Rules and Regulations	undated		Box 3: 5
Hampshire Day House: Seminar for Community Mental Health Workers- Syllabus	1981		Box 3: 6
Hampshire Day House: Sheet and Statement of Proft and Loss	1979		Box 3: 7
Hampshire Day House and Valley Education Accociation Correspondence	1982		Box 3: 8
Hampshire County Purchasing Department Orders and Correspondence	1980		Box 3: 9
Hampshire Employment and Training Center	1981		Box 3: 10
Hampshire United Way Campaign Pamphlets	1981		Box 3: 11
Hampshire United Way Correspondence	1981		Box 3: 12
Health Funds Development Letter	1981		Box 3: 13
Images, Sheila and Dick Fish Photographs	undated		Box 3: 14
Images	undated		Box 3: 15
Insurance Policy: Automotive	1979-1981		Box 3: 16
Insurance Policy: Theft, Fire, and Casualty	1975-1982		Box 3: 17
Insurance: Workmen’s Compensation	1975-1980		Box 3: 18
Inter-Agency Agreement	1979		Box 3: 19
IRS Correspondence	1982		Box 3: 20
IRS Forms	1976-1982		Box 3: 21
Loans, Programs, and Budget Cuts	1981		Box 3: 22
Malparactice Insurance	1980		Box 3: 23
Managment, Grant Workshops and Courses	1981		Box 3: 24
Managment Information Systems	1979		Box 3: 25
Managment Information System, Reporting System	1979		Box 3: 26
Massachusetts Association for Mental Health, Inc.	1980		Box 3: 27
Massachusetts Association for Mental Health Correspondence	1979		Box 3: 28
Massachusetts Association for Mental Health Tax Survey	1978-1981		Box 3: 29
Massachusetts Department of Mental Health “07” Vendor Contract Manual	1983		Box 3: 30
Massachusetts Department of Revenue	1981		Box 3: 31
Massachusetts Department of Revenue, Correspondence	1979		Box 3: 32
Massachusetts Department of Public Charities Report	1979-1981		Box 3: 33
Massachusetts Unemployment Insurance Tax Rate	1980-1981		Box 3: 34
Medical Assistance Program Provider Manual Series, Correspondence	1979-1983		Box 3: 35
Medical Assistance Program Manual Series	1974-1979		Box 3: 36
Medical Report Receipts	1981		Box 3: 37
Merrill Lynch Ready Assets	1979-1980		Box 3: 38
Minutes of Finance Committee	1979		Box 3: 39
Newspaper Clippings	1971-1974		Box 3: 40
Newspaper Clippings	1971-1974		Box 3: 41
Newspaper Clippings	1982-1984		Box 3: 42
Northampton Institution for Savings Deposit Receipts and Bank Statements	1980		Box 3: 43
Northampton Planning Department	1975		Box 3: 44
Petty Cash	1981		Box 3: 45
Partnership Corporation Contract Manual	undated		Box 3: 46
Quality Assurance Visit to Hampshire Day House	1981		Box 3: 47
Rate Setting Uniform Cost Report, Audit Report	1979-1980		Box 3: 48
Renovations to Hathaway House- Mental Health Area Office	1981		Box 3: 49
Response to State Auditors Report	1982		Box 3: 50
Revenue Retention Spending Plan	1978-1979		Box 4: 1
Service Coordination Manual	1980		Box 4: 2
Smith College Correspondence	1980		Box 4: 3
Social Agencies Correspondence	1980		Box 4: 4
Special Permit and Zoning Information	1979		Box 4: 5
Staff and Board Minutes	1981		Box 4: 6
Statisitical Form for Law Suit	1979		Box 4: 7
Tax Returns	1978-1980		Box 4: 8
Title XX Correspondence and Amendment	1975		Box 4: 9
Town Funding Data	1981		Box 4: 10
Town Funding	1974-1975		Box 4: 11
Town Funding Statistics and Genral Information	1981		Box 4: 12
Uniform Cost Report	1980		Box 4: 13
Valley Health Plan	1979-1981		Box 4: 14
Wage and Salary Study	1980		Box 4: 15

Processing Information

Processed by Chelsey Talbot, 2013.

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Cite as: Northampton Area Mental Health Services (MS 27). Special Collections and University Archives, University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries.

Subjects

Community mental health servicesMental health facilities

Contributors

Northampton (Mass.) Area Mental Health Services

Related collections: Disability, Massachusetts (West), Medical