Milestones - 1960s and 70s

A Timeline

1961 Moccasin Bend Psychiatric Hospital and Institute ( now Moccasin Bend Mental Health Institute) opened in Chattanooga as short-term, intensive treatment facility with 150 beds.

1962 Tennessee Psychiatric Hospital and Institute (now Memphis Mental Health Institute) opened as a facility for short-term treatment and research.

1962 Tennessee Re-Education Center (Cumberland House) opened as model program for emotionally disturbed children.

1963 Division of Mental Retardation established in Tennessee Department of Mental Health. Alcoholism programs transferred to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health from Department of Public Health.

1964 Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act passed at the National level.  Tennessee received $5 million in Federal funds for construction of community mental health centers during the 1960's.

1965 Medicare and Medicaid enacted, beginning shift of some hospitalization and treatment costs from States to the Federal governments.

1969 Arlington Hospital and School (now Arlington Developmental Center) near Memphis opened with 600 beds for the mentally retarded.

1971 "Midnight Raid" at Eastern State Hospital focused attention on deficiencies in care and facilities there.  Resulted in several improvements. 

1972 Wyatt v. Stickney, a federal court case in Alabama, affirmed patient's right to treatment.  Another case, Jackson v. Indiana, led to evaluation of patients in Tennessee's Forensic Services Unit.

1973 Facilities for the retarded renamed Developmental Centers.

1973 The Alcohol and Drug Abuse section created in the Tennessee Department of Mental Health.

1973 Legal Services section established to review impact of court decisions on Tennessee policies, and to review and propose mental health legislation.

1974 As a result of Saville v. Treadway, new procedures developed to guarantee rights of those entering developmental centers.  Patients no longer required to work without pay at State institutions as a result of Townsend v. Treadway.

1974-1979 All residential mental health and mental retardation facilities in Tennessee accredited.

1975 Tennessee Department of Mental Health renamed Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation.

1976 Fifty-bed Forensic Services Building opened at Central State Hospital as part of nationally recognized system of decentralizing forensics services in Tennessee.

1977 State Hospitals renamed Mental Health Institutes.

1978 Mental Retardation Secure Facility opened at Middle Tennessee Mental Health Institute for mentally retarded offenders.

1979 Nat T. Winston Developmental Center opened at Western Mental Health Institute for mentally retarded persons with emotional problems.

1979 Division of Alcohol and Drug Services created in the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation.

1979 The Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation began a long-range, consumer-based planning process.