An Act to provide for the hospitalization and care of the mentally ill of Alaska, and for other purposes
PL 84-830 (H.R.6376), enacted 07/28/1956

70 S T A T . ] 
Public Law 830 
PUBLIC LAW 830-JULY 28, 1956 
709 
CHAPTER 772 
AN ACT 
To confer upon Alaska autonomy in the field of mental health, transfer from 
the Federal Government to the Territory the fiscal and functional responsi-
bility for the hospitalization of committed mental patients, and for other 
purposes. 
JvJy 28, 1956 
[H. R. 6376] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
nited States of America in Congress assembled^ T 
be cited as the "Alaska Mental Health Enabling Act" 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may H ^ ^ ^ * ' ' ^ Mental 
a l t h Enabling 
Act. 
TITLE I—AUTHORITY OF T H E TERRITORY OF ALASKA 
IN T H E F I E L D OF MENTAL HEALTH 
POWERS OF THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT 
SEC. 101. For the purpose of vesting in the Territory of Alaska 
authority comparable in scope to that of the States and other Terri-
tories of the United States in the field of mental health, the Terri-
torial legislature is hereby authorized to enact such laws on the sub-
ject of mental health as it may deem appropriate, and such legislation 
may supersede any of the Acts cited in section 301. 
FUNCTIONS OF COURTS 
SEC. 102. In carrying out section 101, the Territorial legislature is 
authorized to confer upon United States commissioners, as ex officio 
probate judges, and upon the United States District Court for the 
Territory of Alaska, such jurisdiction, functions, and duties as it may 
deem appropriate for such purpose. 
EFFECTIVE DATE 
SEC. 103. This title shall become effective on the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
TITLE II—GRANTS 
SPECIAL GRANTS TO ALASKA FOR MENTAL HEALTH 
SEC. 201. Title I I I of the Public Health Service Act, as amended, 
is hereby amended by adding thereto a new part as follows: 
"PART H—GRANTS TO ALASKA FOR MENTAL HEALTH 
58 Stat. 691. 
42 u s e 201 note. 
" G R A N T S F O R ALASKA MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM 
"SEC. 371. (a) There are hereby authorized to be appropriated the 
following sums to be available to the Surgeon General of the Public 
Health Service for the purpose of making grants to the Territory of 
Alaska to assist it to carry out plans, submitted by the Governor of 
the Territory or his designee and approved by the Surgeon General, 
for an integrated mental health program for the Territory, including 
outpatient and inpatient care and treatment: For each of the fiscal 
years ending June 30, 1958, and June 30, 1959, the sum of $1,000,000; 
for each of the fiscal years ending June 30, 1960, and June 30, 1961, 
the sum of $800,000; for each of the fiscal years ending June 30, 1962, 
and June 30, 1963, the sum of $600,000; for each of the fiscal years 
ending June 30,1964, and June 30,1965, the sum of $400,000; and for 
each of the years ending June 30, 1966, and June 30, 1967, the sum 
of $200,000. 
Appropriations. 
710 
PUBLIC I
4
A
W 830-JULY 28, 1956 
[70 STAT. 
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me^t"*"^**"' ^^^' 
"(b) The Surgeon General shall, prior to the beginning of each 
calendar quarter or such shorter period as the Surgeon General may 
find necessary, estimate the cost of carrying out the approved plan, 
on the basis of estimates furnished by the Territory, including esti-
mates of the amount of contractual obligations for hospitalization, 
and on the basis of such further investigations as he may find neces-
sary. 
From the amounts appropriated for any fiscal year, the Sur-
geon General shall pay to the Territory the amount requested by it 
but not to exceed the amount so estimated by the Surgeon General 
for each such period, reduced or increased, as the case may be, by any 
sum (not previously adjusted under this section) by which he finds 
that the amount paid for any prior period was greater or less than the 
amount which should have been paid. 
The amount of any balance 
of payments made to the Territory under this section and remaining 
unobligated on July 1, 1967, shall be repaid to the Treasury of the 
United States. 
"(c) Whenever the Surgeon General finds, after affording oppor-
tunity for hearing, that the Territory has failed to comply substan-
tially with any provisions of the approved plan, he shall notify the 
Governor that no further payments will be made under this section 
(or that further payments will not be made for parts of the plan 
affected by such failure) until he is satisfied that there will no longer 
be any such failure. 
"(d) For the purpose of facilitating the administration of the Ter-
ritory's mental health program, the Surgeon General is authorized to 
enter into arrangements with the Territorial government to provide 
for the care and treatment, in hospitals operated by the Service, of 
patients requiring hospitalization. Such arrangements shall be sub-
ject to the availability of suitable facilities therefor and shall provide 
for charges to the Territorial government in amounts determined by 
the Surgeon General which shall be sufficient to cover the full cost 
of such care and treatment. 
Upon payment by the Territory the 
amount of such charges shall be credited to the appropriation from 
w^hich such costs were incurred: Provided, That, during the period 
of grants under this section, payment may be effected by deductions 
from the amount of such grants otherwise payable to the Territory, 
with such deductions to be credited to the appropriation from which 
such costs were incurred. 
u 
PAYMENTS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF HOSPITAL FACILITIES 
"SEC. 372. (a) There is hereby authorized to be appropriated an 
amount not exceeding the total sum of $6,500,000, to remain available 
until expended, to enable the Surgeon General to make payments to 
the Territory of Alaska as the total contribution of the Federal Gov-
ernment to be used in defraying the cost of construction of hospital 
and other facilities in Alaska needed for the carrying out of a com-
prehensive mental health program. 
"(b) Such facilities shall be scheduled for construction in accord-
ance with a comprehensive construction program, developed by the 
Territory in consultation with the Public Health Service and ap-
proved by the Surgeon General. 
Projects shall be constructed in 
accordance with such approved program and in accordance with plans 
and specifications for the project approved by the Surgeon General. 
"(c) Upon certification by the Territory, based upon inspection 
by it, that work has been performed upon a project, or purchases 
have been made in accordance with approved plans and specifica-
tions, and that payment of an installment is due, the Surgeon Gen-
eral shall certify such installment for payment: Provided, 
however, 
70 STAT.] 
PUBLIC LAW 830-JULY 28, 1956 
711 
That the Surgeon General may cause the project to be inspected at 
any time, and if such inspection indicates that the project is not 
being constructed in accordance with approved plans and specifica-
tions, he may, after notice and affording opportunity for hearing, 
withhold further payment until he finds that adequate corrective 
measures have been taken. 
''(d) The term 'cost of construction' means the amount found 
necessary by the Surgeon General for the construction of a project 
and includes the construction and initial equipment of buildings 
(including medical transportation facilities), architects' and engineer-
ing fees, the cost of land acquired specifically for the purpose of the 
project, and on-site improvements. 
"(e) If, within twenty years from the date of completion of con- vahi* of'facility!' 
struction, any hospital or other medical facility constructed with the 
aid of grants under tb^s section shall cease to be a publicly owned 
facility operated for me care or treatment of patients under the 
Territory's mental health program, the United States shall b3 entitled 
to recover from the Territory the then value of the hospital or other 
medical facility, reduced, however, proportionately to the extent to 
which the Territory may have contributed to the cost of construction 
thereof." 
LAND GRANT 
SEC. 2C2. (a) The Territory of Alaska is hereby granted and shall 
be entitled to select, within ten years from the effective date of this 
Act, not to exceed one million acres from the public lands of the 
United States in Alaska which are vacant, unappropriated, and un-
reserved at the time of their selection : Provided^ That nothing herein 
contained shall affect any valid existing rights. 
All lands duly 
selected by the Territory of Alaska pursuant to this section shall be 
patented to the Territory by the Secretary of the Interior. 
(b) The lands authorized to be selected by the Territory of Alaska 
by subsection (a) of this section shall be selected in such manner as the 
laws of the Territory may provide, and in conformity with such regu-
lations as the Secretary of the Interior may prescribe. 
The authority 
to make selections shall never be alienated or bargained away, in whole 
or in part, by the Territory. 
All selections shall be made in reasonably 
compact tracts, taking into account the situation and potential uses 
of the lands involved. 
Upon the revocation of any order of with-
drawal in Alaska, the order of revocation shall provide for a period 
of not less than ninety days before the date on which it otherwise 
becomes effective during which period the Territory of Alaska shall 
have a preferred right of selection, subject to the requirements of this 
Act, except as against prior existing valid rights or as against equitable 
claims subject to allowance and confirmation. 
Such preferred right 
of selection shall have precedence over the preferred right of applica-
tion created by section 4 of the Act of September 27, 1944 (58 Stat. 
748; 43 U. S. C., sec. 282), as now or hereafter amended, but not over 
other preference rights now conferred by law. As used in this sub-
section, the words "equitable claims subject to allowance and con-
firmation" include, without limitation, claims of holders of permits 
issued by the Department of Agriculture on lands eliminated from 
national forests, whose permits have been terminated only because of 
such elimination and who own valuable improvements on such lands. 
(c) All grants made or confirmed under this section shall include Mine'«i<*•?<>•"•. 
mineral deposits: Provided^ hoioever^ That mineral deposits in lands 
which on January 1,1956, were subject to public land order numbered 
82 of January 22, 1943, shall not be included in said grants, but shall 
continue to be reserved to the Ignited States. 
712 
PUBLIC LAW 830-JULY 28, 1956 
[70 STAT. 
Leases; sales. 
(<]) FoUowiiig the selectioii of lands by the Territory pursuant to 
subsection (b), but prior to the issuance of final patent, the Territory 
shall be authorized to lease and to make conditional sales of such 
selected lands. 
(e) All lands granted to the Territory of Alaska under this section, 
together with the income therefrom and the proceeds from any disposi-
tions thereof, shall be administered by the Territory of Alaska as a 
public trust and such proceeds and income shall first be applied to 
meet the necessary expenses of the mental health program of Alaska. 
Such lands, income, and proceeds shall be managed and utilized in 
such manner as the Legislature of Alaska may provide. Such lands, 
together with any property acquired in exchange therefor or acquired 
out of the income or proceeds therefrom, may be sold, leased, mort-
gaged, exchanged, or otherwise disposed of in such manner as the 
Legislature of Alaska may provide, m order to obtain funds or other 
property to be invested, expended, or used by the Territory of Alaska. 
The authority of the Legislature of Alaska under this subsection shall 
be exercised in a manner compatible with the conditions and require-
ments imposed by other provisions of this Act. 
EFFECTIVE DATE 
SEC. 203. This title shall become effective on the date of enactment 
of this Act. 
TITLE III—TRANSITIONAL AND GENERAL 
PROVISIONS 
AMENDMENTS AND REPFJ^I.S 
SEC. 301. (a) Such of the following Acts or parts thereof as the 
Governor by proclamation shall declare to be superseded by a law or 
laws hereafter enacted by the Territorial legislature are repealed as 
of the effective date (specified in such proclamation) of such super-
seding law or laws, or as of the two hundred and tenth day after 
the date of enactment of this Act, whichever is later: 
(1) Section 8 of the Act of January 27, 1905 (33 Stat. 616, 619; 
48 U. S. C. 47); 
(2) The first sentence of section 7 of the Act of February 6, 1909 
(35 Stat. 600, 601), as amended by section 2 of the Act of October 
14,1942 (56 Stat. 782; 48 U. S. C. 46): 
(3) The Act of June 25,1910 (36 Stat 852; see 48 U. S. C. 46b); 
(4) The Act of April 24,1926 (44 Stat. 322), as amended by sections 
4 and 5 of the Act of October 14, 1942 (56 Stat. 782, 783; 48 U. S. C. 
50, 50a); and 
4
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^ AfcW'^'tSt 
(5) Sections 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, and 9 of the Act of October 14, 1942 (56 
' 
' 
' 
• Stat. 782, 783-785; 46 U. S. C. 46c, 47a, 47b, 47c, 48, 48a). 
(b) (1) The Acts and parts of Acts listed in subsection (a), except 
the Act of June 25, 1910, are, pending their repeal as provided in sub-
section (a), amended (A) by striking out the words "Secretary", 
"United States", "Congress", and "Department of the Interior" wher-
ever these words appear, and inserting in lieu thereof the words "Gov-
ernor of Alaska or his designee", "Territory of Alaska", "the I^egis-
lature of Alaska", and "Territory of Alaska", respectively; (B) by 
inserting immediately before the word "Treasury", wherever it ap-
pears, the word "Territorial"; (C) by striking out the word "Fed-
eral"; and (D) by amending section 1 (a) of the Act of October 14, 
1942, to read as follows: " 'Governor' means the Governor of Alaska 
or his designee;": Provided, That the words "United States" where 
70 S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC L,AW 830-JULY 28, 1956 
713 
they appear as a part of the term "United States Veterans' Bureau 
facility" in section 6 of the Act of October 14,1942, shall not be struck. 
(2) The amendment, by this subsection, of any Act or part of Act 
specified in subsection (a) shall take effect on the two hundred and 
tenth day after the date of enactment of this Act and shall cease to be 
effective upon the repeal of the Act or part of Act which it amends, as 
provided in subsection (a). 
(c) Effective upon the date of enactment of this Act, section 3 of the 
Act approved August 24, 1912 (37 Stat. 512; see 48 U. S. C. 24), en-
titled "An Act to create a legislative assembly in the Territory of 
Alaska, to confer legislative power thereon, and for other purposes", 
is amended by inserting the following at the end of the first sentence 
of such section, immediately before the period: "or to prevent the 
legislature from altering, amending, modifying, or repealing section 8 
(relating to commitment of insane persons) of the aforesaid Act ap-
proved January twenty-seventh, nineteen hundred and five". 
(d) (1) Any vested rights or liabilities existing, and any commit-
ment proceeding commenced, under any Act or part thereof prior to 
the effective date of the amendment or repeal of such Act or part 
thereof by this section shall not be affected by such amendment or 
repeal. 
(2) With respect to the money or property of any patient who has 
died or eloped prior to the enactment of this Act, or who will have 
died or eloped prior to the two hundred and tenth day following such 
enactment, the functions of the Secretary of the Interior under the 
Act of April 24, 1926, as amended (48 U. S. C. 50, 50a), and the 
requirement of certification of the claim to Congress if established 
more than five years after such death or elopement, shall remain in 
effect notwithstanding the amendment or repeal of such Act by this 
section. 
EXISTING CONTRACT AND APPROPRIATIONS 
SEC. 302. (a) Within two hundred and ten days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of the Interior, with the concur-
rence of the Governor of Alaska, may either (i) assign all of his 
rights and duties under contract numbered 14-04-001-81, entered into 
on June 18, 1953, between the Secretary of the Interior on behalf of 
the United States, and the Sanitarium Company of Portland, Oregon, 
to the Territory of Alaska, such assignment to become effective on the 
two hundred and tenth day after the date of enactment of this Act, 
or (ii) terminate the said contract in accordance with the terms 
thereof. Upon the effective date of any such assignment, such contract 
shall have the same binding effect upon the Territory as it had upon 
the United States prior to such assignment. 
(b) On the two hundred and tenth day after the date of enactment 
of this Act, so much of all unexpended balances of appropriations 
as are available to the Department of the Interior for the care of 
the Alaska insane shall be transferred to the Governor of Alaska to 
be available for expenditure by him for the administration of the 
Acts specified in, and in part amended by, section 301 and for the 
administration of the laws of the Territory of Alaska enacted pursu-
ant to section 101 of this Act, and the Secretary of the Interior shall, 
upon such transfer or as soon as practicable thereafter, transfer to 
the Governor of Alaska all papers and documents used primarily in 
the administration of all laws pertaining to the Alaska insane. 
For 
the remainder of the fiscal year ending June 30,1957, there are hereby 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of the Interior for 
transfer to the Governor of Alaska such additional sums as may be 
necessary for the care of the Alaska insane during that fiscal year. 
Effective date. 
Prior rights, etc. 
^proprlatlon. 
714 
PUBLIC LAW 831-JULY 28, 1956 
[70 ST A T , 
(c) Until July 1, 1957, expenses for the transportation to a mental 
institution outside of Alaska of all patients to be hospitalized pursuant 
to a commitment under section 8 of the Act of January 27, 1905 (33 
Stat. 616, 619, 48 U. S. C. 47), or to be hospitalized in such a mental 
institution pursuant to a commitment under a law of the Territorial 
legislature superseding such Act of January 27, 1905, shall be paid 
by the Department of Justice. 
Approved July 28, 1956. 
Public Law 831 
CHAPTER 773 
July 28, 1956 
[H. R. 10111] 
Savings and loan 
associations. 
E m b e z zl ement, 
etc. 
62 Stat. 729. 
62 Stat. 750. 
AN ACT 
To amend sections 657 and 1006 of title 18 of the United States Code in order to 
include certain savings and loan associations within its provisions. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 657 
of title 18 of the United States Code is amended as follows: After the 
words "United States" where they first appear in section 657, strike 
the comma immediately after the word "States" and insert in lieu 
thereof "or any institution the accounts of which are insured by the 
Federal Savings and Loan Insurance Corporation,". 
SEC. 2. Section 1006 of title 18 is amended as follows: After the 
words "United States" where they first appear, strike the comma 
immediately after the word "States" and insert in lieu thereof "or any 
institution the accounts of which are insured by the Federal Savings 
and Loan Insurance Corporation,". 
Approved July 28, 1966. 
Public Law 832 
CHAPTER 776 
July 30,1956 
[S. J. Res. 183] 
JOINT RESOLUTION 
Authorizing an appropriation to enable the "United States to extend an invitation 
to the World Health Organization to hold the Eleventh World Health 
Assembly in the United States in 1958. 
Whereas the Eleventh World Health Assembly is scheduled to be 
held in 1958; and 
Whereas the year 1958 is considered particularly appropriate for 
holding the assembly in the United States since that year will mark 
the decennial anniversary of the entry into force of the constitution 
of the World Health Organization, which was originally drawn up 
and signed in New York City; and 
Whereas the assembly and related functions will provide outstanding 
opportunities for the Ministers and Directors of Health of the 
World Health Organization's eighty-eight member countries to 
view American health and medical methods in practice, and to make 
and renew friendships among American health and medical leaders; 
and 
Whereas the assembly will focus public attention in the United States 
on the important work of the World Health Organization as an 
integral part of the economic and social program of the United 
Nations and as a constructive work contributing to better interna-
tional appreciation and world peace; and 
Whereas American health and medical groups and certain urban 
organizations have suggested arrangements to make the World 
Health Assembly in the United States a particularly useful pro-
fessional occasion through related seminars, ^sld trips, and social 
activities; and