Evening star., 1950-02-17
Mental Clinic
To Mark Second
Anniversary
Meeting Scheduled
For Monday Night
At College Park
By George Beveridqe


schools, hospitals, clubs ano
homes.
The occasion is the annual
meeting of the Prince Georges
County Mental Health Clinic, tc
be held at pm. at the Maryland
University Arts and Sciences
Auditorium.
The clinic, operated oh a $40.-
900 budget with Federal funds
actually opened in January. 1913
1t was the first pilot clinic set
up by the Public Health Service
under the Mental Health Act.
Like other clinics in many COM
munities, the unit provides treat
ment for mental and emotional
ills. 1t is given by an especially
trained PHS psychiatric team,
headed by DR.. Mabel Ross. All
the care. limited to county resi-
dents, is free.
action Research"
But the clinic also is conduct
ing new type of research, called
by psychiatrists action research" ="
All the term means is to find
ways to translate the scientific
principles of mental health into
practical programs in the COM
munity. It's goal is to reduce the
amount of mental illness by COR
recting the things that cause it,
The first "translating" project,
DR.. Ross said. began nearly two
years ago, when a school princi-
pal asked the clinic for help with
12-year-old boy who couldn t
read. While slightly below aver
age, the boy had sufficient mental
ability to read. But teachers were
annoyed with him, and classmates
teased him because he couldn t
read.
Investigation showed there was
a number of other pupils with the
same problem. Rather than take
them as individuals into the
clinic, officials asked School Supt
G. Gardner Shugart to set up
remedial reading classes.
Special Glass Formed.
That summer, with the clinics
help. 80 pupils were enrolled in a
special six-week class. Last sum-
mer, about 100 students were en-
rolled in an eight-week course.
which now is an annual part of
the school program.
e Charles A. Ullmanfh clinical
psychologist at the clinic, said the
program has brought change in
the attitude of parents who, pre-
viously critical of the schools,
. - began to express apprecia-
ton A renewed effort in regu-
lar classes, he said, also has been
placed on basic reading instruc-
ton.
AS the result of a survey by the
clinic, school officials also are
drawing up a program to deal
with all phases of school health
programs, he added.
In visits to baby clinics, mean
while, a clinic mental health
nurse has developed a schedule
of group discussions, where
mothers talk about problems OF
infant and child care to the ad-
vantage of the entire group.
During home visits, the nurse
is alert. to emotional problems
as we'll as to physical illness. To
bolster this phase of home nurs-
ing, the clinics trained mental
health expert also instructs
nurses of the county health de-
partment.
Discussion Groups Launched.
In another program, clinic Of
ficials have started permanent
discussion groups among organi-
cations in the county. Usually
the groups continue alone.
The clinic workers also have
addressed parent-teacher groups
school and various women's and
civic groups to discuss ways to
attain sound mental health.
Tho p11hlin uoo1tI Cor1,;or
hopes that from such projects as
these viii come practical sugges-
tions for clinics in other areas
Already, DR.. Ross said, the clinic
receives many requests for ad-
vice, and frequent visitors inspect
the program.
For clinic care, about so per
cent of those registered are re-
ferred by schools, welfare agen-
cies. courts and health officials
Doctors refer another Is per cent.
But nearly 35 per cent come under
their own steam-an encouraging
sign of community acceptance to
the clinic officials. About one
third of the problems deal with
family relationships.
All told, about 800 patients have
been seen at the clinic. About
80 per cent are children, most of
them between the ages of 8 and
IA. They return, DR.. Ross esti-
mated, for an average of four
visits.
Applications Pile Up.
The clinic is located in a white
barracks-like building on the
fringe of the Maryland University
campus.
Already, county residents who
have swung behind the program
are talking about a lack of facili-
ties. Applications are piling up
beyond the clinics ability to han
die patients.
Among IL community leaders
on the clinics advisory board
all enthusiastic about the prog
ress and need for expansion
are School Supt. Schugart: County
Health Officer Thomas Englar;
DR.. w. B. Meyers, representing
the county medical society; At
torney Louis B.. Arnold. and Mrs.
Charles o. App1eman, represent