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Re: Mental illness archive?



Dear list:
     At the New York State Archives we are working to document mental health activity throughout the state.  That has involved seeking the points-of-view of service providers, legislators and policy makers, psychiatrist, nurses, families, and ex-patients.  We have learned from some recipients who have been especially affected by their encounters with the mental health system, that they refer to themselves as "psychiatric survivors," "recipients of care", "individuals with psychiatric histories", and "ex-patients." They do not accept labels such as "mentally ill," "a manic-depressive," or "a schizophrenic."
     In our documentation efforts, through our contacts with a variety of people, we have hoped to become more aware of and sensitive toward a community that is sorely under-represented in the historical record.  Our choices of words and language strive to indicate an awareness of another culture, with a language of its own.
     For more information about our documentation efforts, please see our website:
 www.archives.nysed.gov/services/rediscovering/mentaldocproject.htm 


Gloria A. Bartowski
State Education Department
New York State Archives
Room 9C73 CEC
Albany, NY  12230
(518) 474-6926
gbartows@mail.nysed.gov
www.archives.nysed.gov

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