CHAPTER 464
APPROPRIATION
BOARD ON MENTAL HEALTH AND RESEARCH
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A BOARD ON MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING AND RESEARCH AND MAKING AN APPROPRIATION THERETO.
WHEREAS, the Governor's Committee on Mental Health Training and Research has carefully studied the problem of mental illness and mental deficiency, and
WHEREAS, the care of the mentally ill and deficient is an increasingly serious problem, and
WHEREAS, the annual toll in human misery and in lost production is a great drain on State budgets and is constantly mounting, and
WHEREAS, there is no other major governmental activity which is so singularly a State responsibility, and
WHEREAS, there are not enough trained people to use the knowledge that we already have, and
WHEREAS, there are many patients in hospitals today who could be returned to productive lives if available treatments could be given them, and
WHEREAS, we need more knowledge, and
WHEREAS, research provides spectacular beneficial results, and
WHEREAS, a cooperative and coordinated effort can be established among various State agencies dealing with this problem to expand the training and research program in this State, and
WHEREAS, such a program will provide adequately trained personnel and knowledge to cope with this problem, and
WHEREAS, such a State project will be part of the expanded program of the sixteen Southern states and ten Northeastern states' work, and
WHEREAS, the Governor's Committee on Mental Health Training and Research has developed exhaustive reports on local needs and resources in mental health training and research, NOW, THEREFORE,
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Delaware:
Section 1. The sum of $120,000.00 is appropriated for the biennium beginning July 1, 1955, and ending June 30, 1957 to the Board on Mental Health and Research hereinafter established, to establish a coordinated program of research and training throughout the State by improving personnel and facilities for research and training at various Delaware Institutions.
Section 2. The State of Delaware, through appropriate officers shall seek in addition to the present arrangements with the University of Pennsylvania, similar formal arrangements with Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia for the training of personnel in psychiatry, clinical psychology, psychiatric social work, and psychiatric nursing on graduate level until adequate facilities for this purpose can be provided within the State.
The Governor Bacon Health Center is offered as a regional facility for training of child psychiatrist, clinical psychologists, and psychiatric social workers.
Arrangements shall be effected with other states by which the Governor Bacon Health Center may assist other states in residential treatment of maladjusted children inasmuch as this type of facility is lacking in most of the other Southern states.
Delaware will coordinate with other states engaged in similar treatment, its research in the study of cerebral palsy and other spastic diseases of children.
Delaware will coordinate with other states its research in the study of alcoholism by using its existing facilities at the Governor Bacon Health Center.
Delaware will increase the scope of its present research in schizophrenia, alcoholism, geriatrics, and personality problems in children.
Section 3. The Governor is authorized to establish a Board on Mental Health Training and Research composed of ten men and women from the Governor's Committee on Mental Health Training and Research, and four members of the General Assembly, two from the House and two from the Senate, to assume the responsibility of approving research projects and allocating funds. This committee will be under the chairmanship of the State Psychiatrist of Delaware.
The Board so appointed shall report its progress to the Governor not later than January 1, 1957, and make this report available to the 119th Session of the General Assembly in 1957.
Section 4. The said Board shall be empowered to seek Federal, Private and other Grants considering the State Appropriation of $120,000.00 as a nucleus for enlargement of the program of Research and Training.
Section 5. This Act shall be known as a Supplementary Appropriation Act and the funds hereby appropriated shall be paid by the State Treasurer upon warrants of the proper officials of the Special Board, out of the General Fund of the State of Delaware.