Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-05-04
New Mental Hygiene
Bureau Welcomed al
Dedication Meetinq

Although it is still without home,
the Districts new Mental Hygiene
Bureau was enthusiastically well
coined last night at a meeting at
the United States Chamber of Com
merce dedicating this latest service
of the District Health Department.
DR.. John F. Owen, the director
received an idea of how many agen-
cies are looking to it for assistance
as eight speakers discussed mental
health needs here ranging from an
alcoholic clinic to work for pre-
school children.
With an audience of about 17s
present, Health Officer George C
Rutland declared the new bureau is
the only service inaugurated by the
Health Department to receive such a
public welcome.
Stresses Major Problems.
He emphasized. however, that it is
still confronted by major problems
of housing and personnel. School
facilities under consideration would
be restricted to clinical work fol
children, he explained, while the
bureau needs space both for its ad.
ministrative work and various elm
les. Pointing out that third of the
Municipal Center, where he had ex-
pected to house the bureau, is occu-
pied by Federal agencies, he ex-
pressed the opinion that District
services should be given priority ir
such building.
DR.. Rutland also appealed for as.
sistance in obtaining stenographers
and clerks, urgently needed by the
bureau in its development under DR.
Owen, who arrived from Raleigh
N. c., last week.
DR.. Owen expressed the hope tn,
bureau would provide an "all-pur
pose" service and announced plan
for morning, afternoon and nigh
clinic sessions each week.
Clinic for Alcoholics.
In its plans to include a clinic TO
alcoholics, the new bureau marks
milestone by giving official recog
milton for the first time in the Dis
trict to alcoholism as a disease, &C
cording to Mrs. George c. Thorpe
chairman of the Women's Safet,
Committee of the American Auto
mobile Association, who presided.
DR.. Winfred Overholser, superin
tendent of st. Elizabeth's Hospital
said the new bureau also is unusua
in being set up as a part of tn,
Health Department. In most com
munities the care of the mental,
i'll is vested in departments of pub.
lie welfare instead of in the health
department, where it belongs" h,
said.
DR.. Overholser added that h,
hoped no attempts would be mad,
to put the work of the psychiatri,
clinic at the Juvenile Court on tn,
new bureau because it already ha
large enough load" He praisee
the operation of the court clinic
which is stated with personnel de-
tailed from the United States Pub
lie Health Service.
Congress to Cooperate.
Cooperation of Congress in tn,
new venture was promised by Chair
man Randolph of the House Distric
Committee.
Other speakers included Charlie
V. Morris, secretary of the correc
lions division, Council of Socia
Agencies; Howard B. Gill, genera
superintendent of District penal in
situations; Inspector Milton Q
Smith of the Metropolitan Polio
Department and William M. Esca
vaille of Alcoholics Anonymous. Tn
Rev. Francis w. McPeek of tn
Washington Federation of Churche
also was introduced.
Appropriation of approximate,
$4,000 for the bureau in the 1874
budget funds for the District wa
the first step in the successful con
clusion of drive for the service
which started seven years ago. d.
Rutland searched for 10 months
however, before he was able to OBJ
tain director for the service.