History And Photos

The Massachusetts Mental Health Center (MMHC) was founded in 1912 as the Psychopathic Department of the Boston State Hospital for the sole purpose of caring for indigent mentally ill persons. One of the nation's first public psychiatric teaching hospitals, it has been affiliated with Harvard Medical School (HMS) from its beginning.

As one of the oldest public teaching hospitals in the United States, MMHC has a respected reputation for leadership and clinical care of patients; training of psychiatrists, psychologists, and mental health clinicians of all disciplines; and ground-breaking research in mental health disciplines and neuroscience. Over the years, its three-part mission has been refined to meet the changing needs of its clients and trainees and the mandates of the Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH), and to keep abreast of new therapies, treatments and research developments. However, the mission of MMHC has always remained the same: the caring for mentally ill individuals.

According to a 1912 document published by the Boston State Hospital 's Psychopathic Department, the original idea behind MMHC was to provide �a small hospital for acute and curable patients needing individual study and treatment, on a plane as high as that of the best general hospitals.� In addition, it was stated that, �The resident physician should be well-equipped for the study and medical treatment of his patients and for scientific research.� Thus, the missions of MMHC have remained in tact to the present day with the hopes of providing high quality medical care to its patients, while simultaneously conducting clinical research.

Originally, MMHC was to allow space for 50 beds, however when it was actually built at 74 Fenwood Road , a total of 100 beds were devoted to patient needs. These included a 50-bed reception hospital and 50 further beds for prolonged and intensive study and treatment.

At the time of the document's publishing it was noted that there were approximately, �50 institutions in which such specialized care and investigation of the insane are carried out,� and almost half of these were in German-speaking countries.

The original building stood four stories high and included patient and examination rooms, a pharmacy, library, surgical suite, roof top garden and many outdoor areas for patient recreation and enjoyment. Also included in the plans were �laboratories for the director and laboratory chief, with conveniences and apparatus for careful and accurate study, which is one of the leading ideas in the provision of such a hospital.� The building at 74 Fenwood Road remained �home� to MMHC until late 2003 when services were moved to the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital in Jamaica Plain.