Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1942-12-19
REORGANIZATION
PLAN INTERESTS
STATES WOMEN
NUMEROUS REQUESTS RECEIVED
FROM ORGANIZATIONS FOR
FULL INFORMATION

FULL ANEOhMATEON
Montana women,s ORGANIZATIONS AZ,
taking a keen interest in propose,
changes in commitment and otbe,
procedure at various state institutions
FRED Bennion, secretary Of the stat.
reorganization committee, disclosed.
He said he received numerous re-
quests from business and professional
womens clubs, units Of ro-America
and American Legion auxiIiaries for
complete information on changes tc
be proposed to the 1913 legislature.
Bennion said the women's groups
appear less interested in financial say
lngs than in revamping procedure at
the institutions, which, as a matter of
iact, may cost the state more than
the present system.
Better Handling Of Cases
The reorganization committee viii
propose, he said, that the commit
ment procedure at the state hospital
at Warm Springs be changed to pro-
vide that no commitment be made
final through court action until after
a patient has been under observation
OF psychiatrists there for some time.
that voluntary commitments be per
mitted at both the Warm Springs and
Boulder institutions for mental cases
and that the law be clarified permit
ting admission of children under six
years Of age to the training school.
Bennion explained these changes
will be sought to permit better hand
ling Of "border-line" cases In which
the ordinary medical doctor and dist
riot court judge cannot be sure of the
mental condition of the proposed pa
tient, whereas a trained psychiatrist |
could, after observation, determine |
whether there actually was a mental
ailment.
Additionally, he said, the legisla-
5ure will be asked to provide for opera
lion of the Boulder school as "a cura-
live and educational agency, not as a
custodial institution"
Under the present setup, he said, the
tate training school is less of a school
han a custodial institution for
'eeble-minded
The reorganization committee Sec
etary said women'S clubs also were
hoWing exceptional interest in a plan
o change the commitment procedure
It the state orphans home at Twin
Bridges in the interest of the children
involved. 1t will be proposed, he said,
hat the legislature provide for send
ag children to country foster homes :
ather than the state institution, If
UGH would be to the child's advan-
age. This would be done, he said,
Y giving the counties allowances from !
tate funds to help finance their fos- {
or homes. Under present law, counties '
1n4 -. - / Z
ort of children at the state home and l
S a result have the tendency 10 I
Dump orphans into the hands Of the
tate, he explained.
hid Welfare Division a
Bennion said legislature also will Ia
e asked 10 provide for the child well &
ire division Of the state welfare de- b
to investigate orphans z
ases and report to the district court O
sfore a child may be committed a
ther to the state or any county
ome. ~
Regarding the state vocational .,
,hool for girls at Helena and the in Z:
lstrial school for boys at Miles City, o
ennion added, the reorganization p
,mmittee viii propose that educa- n
onal and reform phases of their n
ork be emphasized rather than the
lrely custodial functions. THE idea" .,
e said, "is to do more toward re- IN
abilitating girl or boy rather than 3,
lst keep her or him in custody as n
Inishment" =,
He admitted some Of the recon-
endations will require larger ex- tie
snditure Of state funds at the in a
buttons but insisted this additional az
'st would be more than made up by ri
economies proposed in other recon- be
endations. What we are suggesting" gs
; said, "is more intelligent handling II
persons committed to the institu- ev
1ns." m
Bennion said many women's clubs M
roughout the state had devoted to
veral meetings to studying and dis tn
sSing the proposed changes and they Ps