Contains annual reports of the department spanning the years 1952-1956 and 1974-1975. These reports document the year in review for the entire state agency. The reports often contain statistical and financial information for each institution under its governance, as well. This state agency has changed names several times since its inception. In the 1950s it was referred to as the Department of Mental Hygiene and Hospitals. It became the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation in 1973, and then the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services in 1987.

Arranged chronologically.

Contains annual reports created by the Virginia State Hospital Board. Information for each institution under the Board's governance (Central State Hospital, Eastern State Hospital, Southwestern State Hospital, Western State Hospital, Lynchburg Colony and Petersburg Colony) can be found in each booklet. The reports detail patient movement, activities, financial statistics, property values and insurance information, and personnel data. Statistical tables containing patient data can be found at the end of the report for each institution.

Arranged chronologically.

Contains statistical supplements created by the State Hospital Board that were meant to accompany the annual reports of the Board. The supplements do not contain the complete annual reports, but only the tables and charts that were supposed to be included with them. Information for each institution under the Board's governance can be found in each supplement.

Arranged chronologically.

Contains the annual reports of Western State Hospital that were submitted to the General Assembly by the Court or Board of Directors every year. Researchers should note that Western State Hospital has changed names several times during its history. In its earliest years it was sometimes referred to as "Western Hospital," as well as the more commonly used, "Western Lunatic Asylum." Between 1861 and 1865, it was known as Central Lunatic Asylum (not to be confused with the hospital of the same name later built in Petersburg, Virginia). The name was eventually changed to Western State Hospital by an Act of the General Assembly in 1894. The reports were compiled by the superintendent and contain financial information, as well as patient-related statistics. These charts often note specific mental conditions, place of patient origin, and if or when an elopement, discharge or death occurred. Other topics are addressed when necessary, and include discussions of medical techniques, equipment or employment needs, patient life, and overall management of the hospital. All of the earliest reports are handwritten, and some are merely rough drafts or notes. Since this is not a comprehensive collection of annual reports, it may be necessary to look elsewhere for those that are missing. In the earliest years, annual reports for state institutions were part of the rough journals of the House of Delegates (1826-1846). Later, they became part of the Governor's message and annual reports of the public officers of the state (1847-1860s). Annual reports for all of Virginia's state agencies (1860s and beyond) were bound together as "Annual Reports of Officers, Boards and Institutions of the Commonwealth of Virginia," (call no. JK3930.A21). Additional annual reports for Western Lunatic Asylum, most notably the report from 1861, can be found in the Records of Eastern State Hospital.

Arranged chronologically.

Contains scattered annual reports created by the other Virginia State Hospitals, Colonies, and Training Centers. The reports detail patient movement, activities, financial statistics, property values and insurance information, and personnel data. In the earlier publications, statistical tables containing patient data can be found at the end of the reports.

Arranged chronologically.

Contains miscellaneous material related to the activities of the Board of Directors, the Special Board of Directors, or the State Hospital Board, depending on the date of the document. The files include resolutions, orders, letters, petitions, and reports. The report to Governor John Floyd was not originally part of the collection, but found in the Governor's Executive Papers. A photocopy of the document was made, and due to its significance, it was arranged along with the Western State material.

Arranged alphabetically according to the name of the entity.

Restricted: Meeting minutes that are less than 125 years old. Due to the presence of restricted patient information, these records may require review by an archivist and/or redaction (if it is possible) before they are served. Contains detailed minutes of the meetings of the Court of Directors, Board of Directors (also referred to as the "Directory"), and the Special Board of Directors of Western State Hospital. Also included here are minutes of the meetings of the General Board of Directors, the State Hospital Board, the State Mental Health and Mental Retardation Board, and the State Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse Services Board, depending on the date of the document. The minutes give insight into the decision-making processes and governance of Western State Hospital, as well as the other state hospitals. A few of the early minute books have overlapping dates and many identical entries. However, in some cases one book may have minutes that the other does not, so it would be beneficial to consult both for research purposes. Some of the later loose minutes have agendas and correspondence attached. Additionally, there are several hospital inspection reports included within the minutes for the 1940s.

Arranged chronologically.

Contains lists of correspondents, most of whom wrote to inquire about specific patients. It appears that the lists were most likely kept by the hospital superintendent. The individual registers are arranged in loose alphabetical order and provide the correspondent's name, the name of the patient or "subject," the correspondent's address, and his or her relation to the patient. All of the correspondent lists are undated, but the dates have been roughly estimated. The first volume dates from sometime before 1874 because Dr. Francis Stribling's handwriting is found in it. The earliest list contains correspondents for both male and female patients. The other four registers are divided according to the sex of the patient. There are two lists devoted to correspondents inquiring about male patients and two lists for female patients. Two of the registers have "Correspondence, W.S.H." stamped on the cover, along with "Male" or "Female." They are believed to date from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. The final two registers have no information on the cover and are thought to have been created and utilized during the 1910s to 1920s. The four later registers contain loose correspondence and notes, which were used to formulate the approximate dates. The last item listed is an unidentified and undated address book. It is uncertain whether the contacts listed are related to patients.

Arranged chronologically.

Contains registers of correspondence-related records that appear to ahve been kept by the hospital superintendent. The first volume includes a list of correspondents, a list of applications received, and a list of patients written for, in addition to lists of letters received and written. This volume also contains a list of accounts rendered against patients and several short memos of a general nature. The second register contains lists of letters both written and received. The third register contains only a list of letters written, but the fourth contains only records of letters received. The fifth ledger again lists letters written.

Arranged chronologically.

Contains one ledger which documents incoming parcels and deliveries received at Western State, both for patients and hospital staff. Recorded in this ledger are the date, type of article, from whom it came, to whom it was sent, whether it was paid for, and other various remarks. It is believed that this ledger was kept by the hospital superintendent. Researchers should note that additional parcel post records specifically regarding patients can be found in Series IV. Patient Records, Subseries I. Postal Records.

Arranged chronologically.

Restricted: Correspondence containing patient names and information that is less than 125 years old. These records may require review by an archivist and/or redaction (if it is possible) before they are served. Contains correspondence files from the superintendent's office. The correspondence has been divided into three subgroups: correspondence, subject correspondence, and surveys. The largest of these groups is the general correspondence files which contain incoming letters addressed to the hospital superintendent. The letters and surveys give insight into the daily work of the hospital superintendent and document the earliest years of Western State Hospital, and Virginia's mental health treatment system in general. Researchers should be be aware that some of the correspondence may contain mold due to past exposure to water. Although now stabilized, some spores may still be present. As a result of the water damage, many of the documents are fragile and discolored, and must be handled with care. Researchers should also note that additional superintendent's correspondence (1835-1918) can be found in Series VI. Records Found at Eastern State Hospital (Accession 44812).

Restricted: Correspondence containing patient names and information that is less than 125 years old. These records may require review by an archivist and/or redaction (if it is possible) before they are served. Contains two groups of correspondence belonging to hospital superintendent Dr. Joseph S. DeJarnette which were maintained separately from the other correspondence files, and separately from each other. The first group contains only outgoing letters dating from 1907 and 1909, while the other set contains both incoming and outgoing letters written between 1910 and 1944. Reseachers should note that a small amount of additional work-related DeJarnette correspondence can be found in the later years of the previous section of Superintendent's Correspondence. Dr. DeJarnette's personal correspondence and other effects can be found in Series I., Subseries E. DeJarnette Personal Files.

Contains miscellaneous files and individual documents found in various parts of the Western State Hospital collection. Much of the earlier material was found mixed in with the superintendent's correspondence. Topics of note include the 1883 patient poisonings and the subsequent investigation performed by the Pinkerton company, the handwritten job descriptions, including those for the ten pin alley attendant, the night nurse, and the steward, as well as the files of legal documents that include wills, estate settlements, and summonses. Researchers should note that additional 19th century files (1828-1873) can be found in Series VI. Records Found at Eastern State Hospital (Accesion 44812).

Arranged alphabetically by subject or document type.

Restricted: Documents containing patient names and information that are less than 125 years old. Some records may require review by an archivist and/or redaction (if it is possible) before they are served. Contains subject and correspondence files which most likely originated in the office of the hospital superintendent. Files of note include those related to the hospital's growing geriatric program, its commitment to industrial therapy and vocational rehabilitation, as well as correspondence between the superintendent and the Virginia Attorney General, and Superintendent of Hospitals, William S. Allerton. Additional information on the Shenandoah Geriatric Treatment Center or the Community Hospital Industrial Rehabilitation Program (CHIRP)can be found Series II. Departmental and Program Records. Many of the 20th Century Files (mostly post-1945) were originally known as "Director's Correspondence and Reference Files."

Arranged alphabetically by subject or correspondent.

Contains the meeting minutes of the Administrative Staff Committee. Meeting attendees were limited to a small number of high ranking hospital officials. They covered many topics including employee pay and job equity, patient abuse allegations, policy and procedure issues, and budgeting.

Contains the minutes and other supporting documentation of meetings held by the Affirmative Action Plan Committee. These meetings were held to discuss and uphold the hospital's affirmative action plan, equal employment opportunity matters, and other personnel equality issues.

Contains the meeting minutes of the Blood Bank Committee. The minutes are usually in the form of statistical breakdowns. Statistics included are the number of blood transfusions given, number of patient reactions reported, number of units of blood received from outside blood banks, number of units transferred outside of Western State Hospital, and the total units of blood still housed at the hospital.

Contains the meeting minutes of the Clinical Directors' meetings, which were attended weekly by the highest ranking physicians and the hospital superintendent. Many topics are covered including various patient and employee issues, new medical breakthroughs, and changes to hospital policies and procedures.

Contains meeting minutes for the Credentials Committee. This group consisted of a small number of the highest ranking doctors at Western State Hospital. The committee handled personnel matters regarding hospital physicians and discussed physician qualifications and interviews. Members also handled complaints against doctors by patients, other staff, and visitors and issued punishment recommendations to the hospital director, when necessary.

Contains minutes for meetings called "Death Conferences." These meetings were held to discuss all deaths that took place at Western State Hospital. The minutes provide insight into the diseases and other ailments affecting patients. The Death Conferences were later renamed Mortality and Morbidity Conferences.

Contains minutes of meetings held by the department heads of Western State Hospital. The meetings were attended monthly by the superintendent and supervisors or representatives from each department. The minutes contain informative reports from each area of the hospital. Complaints, concerns, and suggestions of general staff members are addressed here, as are budget matters and other employee and patient issues.

Contains meeting minutes and other documents created by the Environmental Beautification Committee. This committee was mostly concerned with interior decoration and exterior landscaping issues. The members suggested beautification projects that were aimed at making the hospital more appealing and less institutional.

Contains meeting minutes created by the hospital's Executive Committee. This committee was composed of the highest ranking physicians employed at Western State Hospital. They were responsible for evaluating the minutes of lower committees and when necessary, made recommendations and decisions based on the information they received.

Contains the minutes of General Staff meetings. These meetings were held monthly in an auditorium setting, so that a large number of staff members could attend. The hospital's director presided over the meetings, and leaders from each department gave short reports.

Contains the meeting minutes of the Infection Control Committee. This committee was composed of physicians at Western State Hospital as well as outside public health officials. When the committee first formed, it also included members from the Augusta-Staunton Health Department, King's Daughters' Hospital, and the University of Virginia, School of Medicine. The minutes include statistics on the number of infections in the various wards, the types of infections present, and the treatments utilized. It appears that the records were kept in order to satisfy state laws that required reporting the presence of infectious diseases in public hospitals.

Contains meeting minutes and other documents of the Institutional Chaplaincy Committee. The minutes provide information pertaining to the chaplaincy program at Western State Hospital and illustrate the role of the chaplain in a hospital setting.

Contains the meeting minutes of the Institutional Executive Committee. This committee was formerly known as the "Local Building Committee." (Minutes of the Local Building Committee are found later in this subseries). The Institutional Executive Committee was comprised of one State Board member, the Director and the Assistant Director, Administrative of a particular institution. This committee handled all building and construction-related activities at Western State Hospital and was responsible for informing the State Board of any problems, projects, or capital outlay needs. For more information on buildings and grounds, please see Series I. Administrative Records, Subseries C. Building, Facilities and Grounds Records.

Contains the meeting minutes of the Joint Practice Committee. The objective of this committee was to improve patient care through increased communication between doctors and nurses. The committee was comprised of representatives from both departments.

Contains minutes of meetings of the Joint Staff. The minutes of the Joint Staff meetings are very detailed and contain project updates, staff directives, notes about fiscal and legislative changes, as well as other information as conveyed by representatives from each department. The hospital director led each meeting. The meetings were first called "Meetings with Unit Chiefs," in the early 1970s. By the mid-1970s the meetings were called "Unit-Departmental Meetings," and in 1977 the name was changed to "Joint Staff Meetings."

Contains the meeting minutes of the hospital's Library Committee. The minutes include information regarding the library's budget, as well as ways to increase library usage and develop its collections.

Contains meeting minutes for the Local Building Committee. The Local Building Committee was previously called the "Building Committee." During the 1970s the name and some of the duties were changed, and the commmittee became the "Institutional Executive Committee." The minutes were separated in an attempt to retain the original order of the records. Much of the Local Building Committee material focuses on the construction of the "New Site," and includes rough plans, bidding information, and cost analyses. Also included is correspondence between the hospital and the architectural firm of Marcellus Wright and Son of Richmond, Virginia. Information on other small building and maintenance projects can be found here as well. For more information on buildings and grounds subjects, please see Series I. Administrative Records, Subseries C. Building, Facilities and Grounds Records, as well as the minutes of the Institutional Executive Committee.

Contains the meeting minutes of the Local Human Rights Committee. This committee was assembled to deal with specific cases of human rights violations, and to make sure that Western State Hospital was operating under the rules and guidelines set forth by the Virginia Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation.

Contains the meeting minutes of the Medical Care Evaluation Committee. The minutes include summaries of patient care audits conducted. The audits address the completeness of the patients' medical record, and the quality of patient care received. The minutes also include general information on medical care at Western State Hospital.

Contains minutes of Western State Hospital's medical staff meetings. The minutes contain information on personnel issues, new medical techniques, and changes or problems with patient policies and procedures. Members of the committee included only the hospitals' physicians.

Contains the meeting minutes of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee. The minutes contain information pertaining to pharmaceuticals used in the hospital, including the introduction of new drugs, the removal of drugs from hospital use, and policies and procedures for distribution to patients. The committee was orginally refered to as the "Drug Committee," but it was changed the 1970s to the "Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee."

Contains the minutes of the Psychiatric Aide Representative meetings at Western State Hospital. Meeting attendees included various psychiatric aides and the hospital's clinical assistant director. The minutes cover a wide variety of topics including sanitation, feeding and clothing of patients, staff safety, salary, schedules, and vacation time. The minutes provide information on day-to-day activities and life in the hospital.

Contains meeting minutes of the Western State Hospital Safety Committee. This committee was responsible for monitoring the physical safety of patients and employees, as well as the structural safety of hospital buildings. Some minutes contain statistics which document accidents, in addition to general information on safety precautions taken by staff members.

Contains meeting minutes for several unit meetings within the Western State Hospital geriatric program. The minutes contain information about events, treatment, and patient well-being. Some of the minutes date from the time before Shenandoah Geriatric Treatment Center was officially established, but still pertain solely to the geriatric program. The minutes are from specific unit meetings, as well as meetings of all the units within the center. These minutes are separate from the other Shenandoah Geriatric Treatment Center files because they were found in the files of the hospital superintendent. For more information on the geriatric program please see the "Geriatric Program" files within Series I. Administrative Records, Subseries H. General Files and Ledgers, 20th Century. Additional information on Shenandoah Geriatric Treatment Center can be found in Series II. Departmental and Program Records, Subseries C. Shenandoah Geriatric Treatment Center Files.

Contains meeting minutes of the hospital's Tissue Committee. This committee was composed of the highest ranking officials at Western State Hospital. The minutes include basic information on all tissue samples sent to outside facilities for evaluation. The reports list the type of operation, pre-operative diagnosis, and post-operative diagnosis for each sample.

Contains meeting minutes of the Utilization Review Committee. This group began as the Medical Records Committee, later became the Medical Records and Utilization Review Committee, then finally shortened the title to Utilization Review Committee. Utilization reviews were conducted in accordance with Title XVIII of Public Law 89-97 and the standards set forth by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals. The committee reviewed patient medical records to ensure that high quality care was provided, and that hospital facilities and services were being used effectively. The committee members included the Director of Medical Services and four staff physicians. A detailed description of the committee and its goals can be found in the folder labeled 1966-1967.

Contains the meeting minutes of the hospital's Volunteer Services Council. This group organized the volunteer program at Western State Hospital. The minutes detail what services volunteers provided at the hospital, such as running "The Christmas Shop" during the holidays, as well as working in the library and the canteen.

Contains minutes and other administrative material pertaining to the Western State Hospital Association of Registered Nurses. The first folder contains the association's philosophy and basic constitution, but the by-laws are missing despite the presence of a table of contents. The subsequent folders each contain memos, meeting minutes, letters and other miscellaneous items. The memos and minutes show the progression of an organization struggling with attendance, as well as the grievances expressed by the nursing staff about issues such as staff shortages.

Restricted: Photographs that identify patients or depict medical treatments are restricted for 125 years. Contains photographs that document various activities of the geriatric program, including including the annual Autumn Games, 4th of July parade, holiday celebrations and field trips. Photographs from the geriatric Adjunctive Therapies (A.T.) program, the Alzheimer's program, and the Intensive Psychiatic Treatment (I.P.T.) programs are included here. Many loose photographs accompanied the albums, but no attempt was made to integrate them back into the albums. The loose photographs have been arranged chronologically by date after the albums. Many of the albums have similar titles and overlapping dates. The photographs were removed from their original housings for preservation purposes, but each album's contents have been kept together. The photos within each album have been foldered separately by year due to the privacy restrictions placed upon them.

Arranged by album title, with loose photographs at the end of the contents list.

Restricted: Photographs (identified or unidentified) of patients or those who may be patients, that are less than 125 years old. These photographs will be withheld from research for 75 years from the date of creation. Contains photographs and prints that document the hospital grounds, construction projects, and activities. The photographs are divided up into the following five groups: construction photographs, event and activity images, exterior photographs, interior images, and photographs of people. Most of the photographs were not originally labeled or grouped together, thus the categories were created for ease of research. The portraits reprinted on photograph paper date from the 1820s, and there are a few photographs from the late 1800s, but the majority of the photographs in this collection are from the 1950s. The 1950s black and white photos are dispersed throughout the categories, but account for most of the images in the "Construction," "Interior," and "Exterior" categories. Many of these photographs document renovation of the Old Site, and the construction of buildings at the New Site. The exterior and interior photographs document structures on the Western State campus, often also providing "before" and "after" images. The photographs in the "Event/Activity" files document anniversary celebrations, holiday parties, staff retirements, and staff performing various job duties. The "People" files contain group and individual staff photographs spanning several decades, as well as photographs of hospital superintendents Dr. Joseph S. DeJarnette and Dr. Lyn Harding, the members of the General Board of State Hospitals, and the Association of Medical Superintendents of American Institutions for the Insane. Unfortunately, a number of the photographs in this group are unidentified and/or undated. Some of the later photographs were accompanied by negatives, and a group of loose negatives can be found at the end of the list.

Arranged alphabetically according to subject category.

Restricted: Slides (identified or unidentified) of patients or those who may be patients, that are less than 125 years old. These slides will be withheld from research for 75 years from the date of creation. Please see the restriction sheets inside the slide boxes for more specific information on restricted slides. Contains slides which document various patient activities, festivals, hospital programs, and staff presentations. Some slides contain images of buildings and grounds, "before and after" shots, as well as what appear to be slide presentations on topics such as obsessive compulsive disorder and alcoholism. There are also slides used for instructional purposes that include several graphic images of patient injuries, though patient identities are not revealed. The slides titled "Miscellaneous Slides (Activities, Buildings, Older WSH Images circa 1930s-1950s" (boxes 116e-f) contain several slides of older images that document the hospital buildings and grounds. Many of these slides can be found in photograph form in the preceeding section, but others are only found in slide form. Most of the slides were originally housed in binders, but carried little or no identifying information. The binders were arranged in arbitrary order by the archivist and given labels I through VIII. The contents of each binder are separated by green tabs. Groups of identifiable slides within a volume are separated by a beige tab that contains the descriptive information as it was provided in the material. Some categories may appear more than once, and the groups are not in chronological order.

Arranged according to the original order, grouped loosely by subject.

Contains newspaper clippings that document the institution and its directors, legislative decisions affecting the hospital, volunteer activities, and the subject of mental health. The clippings were originally pasted or taped to paper, and arranged chronologically in several three-ring binders. Many of the binders had overlapping dates, and in some cases, there were multiple binders for only one year. No attempt to merge the clippings was made, thus they remain together as they had in the individual binders. The clippings were photocopied for preservation purposes. A notable set of clippings titled "Crossfire at the Crossroads" taken from The Daily Progress in Charlottesville, Virginia (Box 122, Folder 1). This series of articles describes the need for better facilities, professional training, and a more progressive attitude toward mental health treatment in general. Other topics of interest include the conversion of the "Old Site" into a correctional facility, (Box 124, Folders 6 and 8), and the resignation of superintendent Dr. Hobart G. Hansen,(Box 124, Folder 8).

Arranged chronologically.

Contains sets of clippings that were photocopied, bundled together, and labeled as "news summaries." They are also called "weekly compilations" and "news reviews." In some cases, each packet is divided by subject. The later summaries were bound together by the Legislation and Public Relations Office of the Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services. The bound versions are given the title of "Secretary of Health and Human Resources News Summary." The dates of the later summaries refer to the date the packet was released, not the date of the articles included.

Arranged chronologically.

Contains press releases regarding Western State Hospital activities and events that were created and distributed to local media outlets. They document the arrival of new employees, retirements, new programs, and other items of public interest pertaining to Western State Hospital.

Arranged chronologically.

Contains scrapbooks filled with newspaper clippings that document Western State Hospital, its directors, the State Hospital Board, legislative decisions affecting the hospital, volunteer activities, and the subject of mental health in general. In some cases, other memorabilia is included such as brochures, pamphlets, and photographs. The earliest scrapbook (1949-1967) specifically contains information on the Red Cross "Gray Ladies" volunteer group. The Grey Ladies material is found at the end of the list. Due to deteriorating adhesive and acidic paper, some of the scrapbooks were dismantled and contents photocopied.

Arranged loosely chronologically.

Contains what appear to be rough drafts of the official reports submitted by the hospital superintendent (who also served as auditor) to the Board of Directors. The reports contain information pertaining to financial matters, with the occasional interjection of comments and opinions of the superintendent. The auditor's reports were usually submitted quarterly.

Arranged chronologically.

Contains reports which document the activities of various committees formed by the Board of Directors. The committees were composed of a small number of members selected from the Board's membership. The Building Committee was formed to oversee construction projects, the Executive Committee was responsible for dealing with the day-to-day issues that arose at the hospital, and the members of the Visiting Committee toured the hospital on a regular basis to determine whether the institution was running smoothly. The Special Committees folder contains documents from various smaller or temporary committees established for a particular project or investigation. Committee recommendations were handed over to the entire Board of Directors for final decisions. The information contained in these reports may also be available in Series I. Administrative Records, Subseries B. Board of Directors Records and Series I., Subseries G. Executive Committee Records.

Arranged alphabetically by committee name, and then chronologically within.

Contains the keeper's reports of contracts and patient costs. The keeper was in charge of contracts for food, as well as wood and servant help. The keeper was also responsible for recording certain costs associated with patients. In these reports the keeper recorded the names of patients living at the hospital, where they were from, and the cost of removing them to Staunton. Sometimes the report also notes when they were discharged or when they died, and also whether their estate was able to pay for their expenses. The reports of the keeper are divided into two categories, "contracts" and "patients."

Arranged chronologically.

Contains the reports of the the head physician, who during the earliest years, was also the superintendent of the hospital. The superintendent was required to report regularly to both the Executive Committee and the Court of Directors/Board of Directors. The earliest physician/superintendent's reports contain detailed commentary in regard to specific issues, projects, and petitions. These reports also often feature tables displaying patient-related statistics. Much of the information is financial, but many of the reports also include detailed accounts of hospital life. The later reports contain similar information, but were submitted on a regular monthly and quarterly basis. The reports included here are rough drafts, but the final reports of the physician/superintendent were usually published in the annual reports of the institution, many of which can be found in Series I. Administrative Records, Subseries A. Annual Reports.

Arranged chronologically.

Contains a variety of reports, mostly published by the the Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation or another branch of state government. One notable report is the Virginia Comprehensive Mental Health Services Plan (Fiscal Years 1976-1981), which is a projection plan with annual updates on progress. Also included is hospital superintendent Dr. Benjamin Blackford's address to the Committee on Public Institutions of the Virginia Constitutional Convention of 1902, during which he made his case for keeping the state hospitals under local governance. Despite Dr. Blackford's plea, the legislature voted to centralize the hospital system.

Arranged alphabetically by creating agency.

Contains reports created by the hospital steward, who was responsible for the day-to-day operation of the hospital. The steward controlled the receipt and expenditure of funds, kept track of inventory, and made regular reports to the superintendent. These reports are usually in the form of a letter or note from the steward to the superintendent in regard to specific issues such as machinery and food production. Additional records of the hospital steward can be found in Series III. Financial Records, Subseries K. Steward's Records.

Arranged chronologically.

Contains reports of the treasurer (most likely also a member of the Board of Directors), that were submitted to the Executive Committee. The reports contain detailed charts depicting the various expenditures of the hospital, as well as its claims for collections from pay patients. Please see the Committee Records within this series for additional financial reports submitted by special committees.

Arranged chronologically.

Contains internal Western State Hospital documents including a proposal for renovation, a report to the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and a telecommunications needs assessment.

Arranged alphabetically.