Evening star., 1945-06-05
DR.. John Owen Quits
Mental Hygiene Unit,
L lack Of Facilities Cited

DR.. John F. Owen, who took
charge of the new Mental Hygiene
Bureau of the Health Department
May /. has submitted his resig-
nation to Health Officer George
c. Rutland because OF the lack of
Office space and clinical facilities"
DR.. Owen, who has promised DR..
Rutland to stay until replacement
is found, will return to his former
home at Raleigh, N. c. He has not
decided on details of his plans for
the future
In an interview today, DR.. Owen
cited lack of space for his bureau as
the principal reason for his resigna-
ton. He said there should be a suite
of at least six rooms in the Munich
pal Center Immediately instead of
one small room, which is his Office.
The Office also is crowded with the
desks of the only two other bureau
employees.
With the $4,000 already appro-
priated, he said, there should be a
new director of the bureau, an as
sistant director, a psychiatrist, three
more psychiatric social workers, in
addition to Mrs Sylvia Halpert, nov
on duty, and one more clerk, in ad-
dition to Mrs. Virginia Holtzclas,
assigned to duty there by the Health
Department.
Other Proposals.
In addition to the out patient
service to be rendered at the bu-
reau's clinic in the Municipal Center,
as start" DR.. Owen said, the work
should be expanded gradually to
take care Of preschool children, ali
school-age children in need of serv-
ice and persons recommended by the
Jail, the courts, and patients released
from institutions who were attempt
ing to make readjustments to normal
life.
Earlier, he had written as follows
to DR.. Rutland:
When I came to assume my
duties in connection with the Bu-
reau of Mental Hygiene I expected
to encounter great difficulty in secur-
ing trained personnel, but I did not
anticipate being without such funda-
mentals as adequate Office space and
clinic facilities, which are so vitally
necessary in work of this kind.
Keen Disappointment"
Naturally, this has been a very
keen disappointment to me. I am
sure this situation is beyond your
control and I hope these may be
made available to you within the
near future.
Il am sure that one having more
experience in out-patient work
would be Of more service to the pro-
gram, whereas my work, at least for
the past several years, has been
limited to institutional activities.
My usefulness, I am constrained to
feel, will be greater in the latter
type of work and, too, I will be much
happier in this feeling"
DR.. Rutland, who submitted the
resignation to Commissioner Guy
Mason late yesterday, said he had
tried to dissuade DR.. Owen, but was
convinced that there is no further
chance of changing his opinion" and
urged the Commissioners to accept
the resignation. Mr.. Mason had no
comment.
Rutland Seeking New Doctor.
DR.. Rutland reported he was
negotiating at the present time
with several prospects and hoped
that one of these at least NAV be
secured for the local service"
Congress made an appropriation
for the fiscal year 1945 for the new
bureau, but officials made a 10
month search before locating
psychiatrist to head the bureau. To
attract DR.. Owen to the post. the
salary of $4,000 was raised to S. 500
When DR.. Owen started his work
last month, he was given a desk in
the office of the secretary of the
assistant health officer.
DR.. Rutland has been seeking
further space and criticized the
Veterans Administration for not re-
part of its space in the
Municipal Center Building, where
the Health Department has its Of
fees.
DR.. Owen said he submitted his
'esignation with regret" and said
ne was sorry to leave "at the begin
hing Of what promises to be a very
interesting type Of endeavor and
'ne which holds out such a great
opportunity for service to the COM
nunity."