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Finding aid for the Resthaven Auxiliary records
0435
0435
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Table of contents
Title: Resthaven Auxiliary records
Collection number: 0435
Contributing Institution:
USC Libraries Special Collections
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
1.25 linear ft.
3 boxes
Date (inclusive): 1956-1979
Abstract: The Resthaven Auxiliary records consist of correspondence, agendas for meetings, member lists, minutes, gift lists, benefit
activities, financial records, and guest books, 1956-1979, that document the activities of the Resthaven Auxiliary, a volunteer
organization important for its fundraising work for the Resthaven Psychiatric Hospital and Community Mental Health Center.
hospital. There also exists a small amount of material directly related to the hospital.
creator:
Resthaven Community Mental Health Center. Auxiliary.
creator:
Resthaven Community Mental Health Center.
Advance notice required for access.
The use of archival materials for on-site research does not constitute permission from the California Social Welfare Archives
to publish them. Copyright has not been assigned to the California Social Welfare Archives, and the researcher is instructed
to obtain permission to quote from or publish manuscripts in the CSWA’s collections from the copyright holder.
[Box/folder# or item name], Resthaven Auxiliary records, Collection no. 0435, California Social Welfare Archives, Special
Collections, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Resthaven Auxiliary was a volunteer organization supporting Resthaven Psychiatric Hospital and Mental Health Center, located
on College Street in downtown Los Angeles. Established in 1912 under the leadership of Mrs. Oliver Perry Clark, Resthaven
Psychiatric Hospital was the oldest such non-profit institution in the city of Los Angeles and a leader in the treatment of
mental health problems of women. (Not until 1961 did Resthaven begin to treat both men and women, children and adults.)
In the early 1960s Resthaven became the first private, non-profit, mental health institution to become a community health
center, a change epitomized by the construction of a new facility, completed in 1970, at the site of the old hospital. Thus,
Resthaven Psychiatric Hospital and Community Health Center served the central city, made up of such places as Echo Park, MacArthur
Park, and Pico-Union; this area as a whole was one of the poorer and more ethnically diverse in Los Angeles. As such, and
as a community mental health center, Resthaven provided its services free of charge to needy clients. This laudable philosophy
unfortunately led to financial difficulties that shrinking government aid for the institution only compounded. Some accounts
of the ensuing financial distress can be found in this collection's holdings, both in the limited holdings for the Hospital
itself and in the material of the Resthaven Auxiliary.
As a private organization, Resthaven relied on volunteer support groups, one of which was the Resthaven Auxiliary, founded
in 1959 and incorporated in 1960. Its duties were to develop interests in the field of mental health in its members and, most
importantly, to serve the hospital and to raise funds. To accomplish these goals, Resthaven Auxiliary held benefits for the
hospital, sold such items as cookbooks authored by its members or products made by Resthaven patients, solicited funds from
businesses, etc. It was a large organization, boasting by 1976 some ninety-seven full and part-time members. When budgetary
problems forced the closure of Resthaven Community Mental Health Center in the 1970's, the Auxiliary, of course, also disbanded.
All information in this history comes from material found in the collection.
The records are organized into two series: Resthaven Auxiliary, and Resthaven Hospital.
The Resthaven Auxiliary records consist of correspondence, agendas for meetings, member lists, minutes, gift lists, benefit
activities, financial records, and guest books, 1956-1979, that document the activities of the Resthaven Auxiliary, a volunteer
organization important for its fundraising work for the Resthaven Psychiatric Hospital and Community Mental Health Center.
hospital. There also exists a small amount of material directly related to the hospital. Noteworthy is the information related
to Resthaven's demise.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Resthaven Community Mental Health Center. Auxiliary. -- Archives
Resthaven Community Mental Health Center. -- Archives
Agendas (administrative records)
Community mental health services--California--Los Angeles--Archival resources
Correspondence
Fund raising--California--Los Angeles--Archival resources
Minutes
Psychiatric hospitals--California--Los Angeles--Archival resources
Reports
Schedules (time plans)
Voluntarism--California--Los Angeles--Archival resources