Central Islip State Hospital Records

Accessing Central Islip State Hospital Records

9/10/2019

My grandfather was dropped off at a police on Christmas Eve of 1922 and never saw his mother again. The story has stuck with me for my entire life. As a kid, I couldn't imagine never seeing my mom again, and as a mom, I cannot imagine parting with my children. The extenuating circumstances must have been extreme, but they're remained a mystery nearly 100 years later. What we do know is that my great grandmother ended up at Central Islip State Hospital, and presumably died there, though no death certificate has been located.

I've been trying to dig and uncover a bit more of the mystery- which sent me looking for her hospital records from Central Islip State Hospital. The hospital was originally opened in 1889 under the name New York City Farm for the Insane, and later became Pilgrim Psychiatric Center, which is still in operation today.

Image from Abandon Online- click to see more pictures of Central Islip Psychiatric Center

All of Central Islip State Hospital records are located in the New York State Archives, series 20200. But, they are locked and sealed due to the New York State Mental Hygiene Law. In order to be granted access, one must write to a letter requesting disclosure to the Office of Mental Health (OMH) at:

Health Information Management Unit
Pilgrim Psychiatric Center
NYS Office of Mental Health
998 Crooked Hill Rd
West Brentwood, NY 11717-1087

In the letter, I’ll be including the probable admission time, why we believe she was a patient there, and proof that I am indeed her descendant. These types of records are incredibly personal in nature, even 100 years later, so if they are not able to disclose them, I am asking for a copy of a photo (if available) her place of residents, employment information, next of kin, and any visitor information that might be slightly less confidential.

What do you think about the confidentiality and mental health laws as they pertain to genealogical research? Should records be freely available after 100 years? Or kept under lock and key? Tell me your thoughts in the comment section!

*Update: When I wrote this post, I had no idea how many other people were looking for records of their loved ones from Central Islip. If you'd like to be updated about this topic, please leave your email below. There's power in numbers, so perhaps all of us together can petition for a breakthrough!

[don't worry, unless there's big news, you wont hear from me ... I have far too many kids to send out lots of emails!]

31 Comments

Ali

11/21/2019 02:25:15 pm

Many of my ancestors worked at CI Hospital. My great grandparents did and their parents did! My great x2 aunt came to the US from Ireland in 1892 to work at CI as a nurse. She saved up and wrote to her sisters. Two arrived as a nurse and a seamstress in 1911. The sister that was a seamstress became the supervisor of the sewing room. In 1913, they saved up enough for my great x2 grandmother and her daughter to come work there. Her daughter would meet her husband there. Employees lived on the grounds and in the early days were not allowed to leave except for a few days a month.

If you have an ancestry account you can view many census records from the 1910, 1915, 1920, etc records which have lists of those who were inmates at CI! I hope you can uncover more about her!

Alexandra Kulick link

12/18/2019 06:10:37 am

Ali, that's fascinating! It sounds like they would have been there at the same time as my g. Grandmother. I've looked on ancestry, but I'm guessing she's not in the census because she was there for a short time and died, or there's a case of unrecognizable spelling. I hope to take a trip to CI, it seems they have a museum these days!

Kristin Walker

2/20/2020 04:27:11 pm

This is almost exactly the situation I am in and I have been looking for years to find anything I can about my great grandmother because it haunted my grandmother her whole life that her mom was taken away and then died before she was to come home from Central Islip.

Pie

12/15/2019 04:54:03 pm

There is a big connection between the hospital and the MKUltra Program in the 50s. Records might be locked for privacy of the individuals - as far as I know only the person can request their own files - but there is a historical of bad practices happened inside this institution that should be unveiled to everyone. I think medical records should be private but when we talk about state institutions experimenting during the dark years they definitely should be released for research and critical purposes.

12/18/2019 06:01:51 am

Hi Pie! I wasn't familiar with the connection to the MKUltra Program. It bothers me that my g.grandmother was placed there, and never heard from again. But, I still haven't gained permission to access any information from the state archives, so I guess that mystery will remained locked up in Albany!

Hanna Denmark

2/1/2020 06:31:04 pm

did you ever hear back from them? My great-grandmother was there for years, and I'm trying to find out if she died there.

Alexandra link

2/22/2020 04:58:37 am

Hi Hannah,

Unfortunately, I did not hear back from them. It seems like they wont grant record access for genealogical purposes. If you're looking for a death certificate, it's possible that the Suffolk County, NY clerk's office would have that record! I hope you're able to find out what happened to her!

Mary Ann Gordon Branch link

10/8/2020 04:04:33 pm

Hi am Mary Ann I have been looking for my mother for years the last time I seen her was at I believe it was a Brentwood Hospital for people with Tuberculosis and she died there I never seen her again I was 3 years old in 1961 I been looking for her in Ancestry find past myheritage and family search nothing that stands out I have spent money on NY State not nothing what happened to her where is she buried or cremated I need the records I have made phone calls about her some of them people are down right nasty over the phone when I need information about my mother they had there mother and the Hell with mine that should not be like that.her name is Alma Gordon believe to have 24 or 25 years old at time of death believe to be born 1936 in Georgia USA what County i don't know i was born in Paterson nj passaic county in 1958 we moved to Center moriches NY on my Birth certificate it states i have 2 siblings they don't know that they have baby sister and that's me i was raised in foster care until i was 16 i haven't had a easy life it was hard even now at times my wish is someone would please,please,help me find my mother Alma Gordon sign Mary Ann Gordon-Branch Thank you!!

Robin

2/22/2020 01:21:59 am

Hi Alexandra,
Your grandfather's story is sad and somewhat similar to my grandfather's in that his mother was sent to a Psychiatric Center in New York as well. My mother was told that her grandmother was in a movie theater and a chandelier fell on her head and she went crazy and was sent to a psychiatrist hospital. My mother never met her grandmother nor as far as she knew were they allowed to visit; my grandmother would take my mother to the Brooklyn post office every month and mail a box of candy to that psychiatric center. My grandfather would never talk about his mother, most likely the chandelier story was a cover up because mental health illness was taboo in those days.
My mother didn't know the name of the hospital but I found my great grandmother's name in the 1940 census and it said she was in Islip so I thought she was at CI. But thanks to Ali I looked her up in Ancestry and she was actually at Pilgrim State Hospital! She died there in 1951. G-d knows what they did to patients there; when I was in my 20's I saw Jack Nicholson get a lobotomy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and always feared that happened to my Great Grandmother. The one positive takeaway was that she had six children that were all very successful.
Thanks for posting, I've never come across anyone with such a similar background!

4/14/2020 12:22:23 pm

Hi Robin,
That's heartbreaking! It must have been so special for your great grandmother to receive candy and know she was loved and thought of. I believe Central Islip turned into/and is now still, Pilgrim State Hospital. I haven't been able to make any headway on getting records, and I don't think I'll be able to break through the Mental Hygiene Law, but I will request my g. grandmother's death certificate, which is hopefully available through the Suffolk County Clerk's Office. You might be able to do the same, knowing her death year!

Good luck!
Alexandra

Andrea Pernikoff

3/1/2020 12:12:05 pm

I'm so glad I found this! My great grandfather was housed there as well. He was later transferred to another hospital in upstate NY. Our family didn't know where he ended up until my son, doing some research, discovered he was there. Family theories included committing suicide due to the depression, leaving for another woman, being killed during a strike, etc. It was a big surprise finding out the truth and no one knew anything (or at least didn't want to discuss it). Am planning to request at least his death record from the Town of Dover.

Yonah Paley

6/25/2020 12:19:36 pm

Can confirm this (am the son of the poster above)!

My 2x GG was admitted to that hospital sometime in the late 1910s. If you manage to get through to any of those records, please update us! I really want to access that archive as well.

Michael S Makaron

5/9/2020 12:49:02 am

Hi, I've been looking for my GGrandmother's information for quite some time...She was institutionalized at Central Islip Hospital in 1924 and apparently died there in 1950..I was thinking about this tonite 12:44 a.m. and just questioning why was she there for 24 years...and my Grandfather(her son) never ever brought up the subject of his Mother....so I was googling to see if patient records were available and came across your site..glad I did. It's unfortunate that anyone that could have answered these questions I have about her are all dead. I've been doing geneaology/family research for about 40 years and my grandfather's family has been my biggest road block. I wish you luck and would like to hear if you get any information from NY State.

12/4/2020 02:39:09 pm

Hi Michael,

These road blocks are certainly frustrating, any with all mystery and heart ache that must have happened behind those walls, it's hard to give up and stop looking for answers!

I'll certainly update if we find a breakthrough and added a "subscribe button" specifically for this topic!

Graceanne Bowe

5/21/2020 09:53:47 am

My understanding is that they will release records if the request is sent by a doctor. My g-grandfather was in and out of CI, from at least 1918 to 1925, when he committed suicide there.

Tom link

6/10/2020 03:41:11 pm

Looking for info about murders, strange deaths, paranormal...at central islip psych hosp. Thsenterprises@aol.com

Diane

9/23/2020 01:52:12 pm

I wanted to pass along that I too am searching for my grandmother who died in Pilgrim State Hospital in 1965. I found her through the census records which are available FREE from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
https://www.familysearch.org

Their is also a website for Catholic burials if the family member was buried by the hospital. Catholic Cemeteries, The Diocese of Rockville Centre, New York.
https://www.drvc.org/catholic-cemeteries/

12/4/2020 02:08:02 pm

Thanks for sharing your finds, Diane! I'm going to go check out the Catholic Burials website to see if they have any info on my GG!

Tanya link

11/13/2020 11:21:53 pm

I am wondering if there was a cemetery on the grounds of each hospital?

Samantha

11/25/2020 07:12:59 am

Yes, there was a cemetery on the grounds of the Central Islip state hospital grounds. A small part of it is still preserved by Tuoro Law School.

kenneth d terry

12/31/2020 06:15:49 am

I worked at both CI and Pilgram. Both had cemetery's on the grounds.

Brian

11/18/2020 06:49:58 pm

I too belong belong to this group. I have been researching my family history for 40 years the most difficult problem of a grand aunt whose history has been erased by the family. I recently tracked her to the Kings Park Psychiatric Hospital which was noted as the informant on her death certificate. A discussion with a member pointed me to the Health Information Management Unit of Pilgrim Psychiatric Center and the infamous New York Mental Hygiene Law§33.13 I was told most people give up at this point but if there were regular requests they may realize that the law could be amended. This is the letter I wrote. I hope all of you make the effort. Perhaps we can make them see the light. This is the letter I wrote ,,,,

To whom it may concern:

I am seeking access to biographical records of my great aunt Sarah Janowitz nee Amelkin, a patient of the Kings Park Hospital. She was a patient from approximately March 1912 until her death July 15, 1912. The informant of information on her death certificate # 5137 is noted as Kings Park Hospital. The hospital itself made public record the names of the patients parents, the period and disease for which she was treated and succumbed.

I understand that under New York Mental Hygiene Law§33.13 Clinical records; confidentiality., clinical mental health information is maintained patient privacy. It would seem that intake, release and biographical information and the intake photograph of a patient who had died 108 years ago and released to a great nephew in order to maintain her life history would in no way circumvent the intent of the law in question and appears to be compatible with the Strategic Plan for Documenting Mental Health in New York State. In fact the Long Island Psychiatric Museum publically displays photographs of patients. The specific information I am looking for is the date of birth, the name of the spouse and the last known residence prior to admission, visitors if recorded and a photograph of the patient.

If it is found that release of such basic biographical information after 100+ years encroaches upon the privacy of a medical patient perhaps this law should be amended.

Respectfully,

12/4/2020 02:05:04 pm

Hi Brian,

Thank you for sharing your letter, we should all join you in writing them! It appears "Reclaim the Records" (https://www.reclaimtherecords.org/ )is working on some cases in New York, and might be another organization to write to to make our request heard.

I'll go ahead and add a "subscribe" button to this blog post so interested people can stay in touch and unite in numbers to see some breakthrough!

Yvonne (Buffman) Cheyney

11/18/2020 07:30:09 pm

Two years ago 2018, through DNA, I discovered that my father's sister named Rebecca (Buffman) Segal, who emigrated to Brookhaven, Long Island, in 1907 age 16 with an aunt and uncle, was at Islip from 1933 until she died 42 years later. I found her surviving son age now 92 now living in Riverhead, Long Island and had a family reunion (we are first cousins). He told me that when he was age 6, 1933, his mother was taken away from the home while he was screaming. He did visit her a few times. Her husband divorced her and remarried. I have visited her grave. She is buried next to one of her daughters. I have been devastated to find out this news of this poor woman. Her aunt and uncle had adopted her as they had no children (her mother died when she was 5). A sad life for a beautiful woman (I have a couple of photographs). I would be very interested to get a medical report and perhaps some pictures. Thanks so much for the lead. Yvonne (Buffman) Cheyney

12/4/2020 01:59:34 pm

Hi Yvonne,

What a hear breaking story, but that's wonderful that you were able to connect with her surviving son all these years later!

Hopefully, we see some new information released as it appears there are legal groups petitioning for the release of documents. I'll update if there's any news!

REMMY

11/25/2020 12:42:00 am

We have a similar situation with two family members and two different NY asylums. Kings Park and Pilgrims State. I discovered this site—check it out. There are attorneys fighting for these NY records to be made available to us all.

https://www.reclaimtherecords.org/

12/4/2020 01:55:26 pm

I believe Pilgrim State is still operational, have you had any success getting records from them? I hope reclaim the records is successful, there are certainly a lot of us online searching for answers!

Remmy

11/25/2020 12:53:48 am

These people are fighting to get records released (and NOT stuck behind a paywall). Browse the site. It’s fascinating.
https://www.reclaimtherecords.org/records-request/22/

12/4/2020 01:52:28 pm

Remmy- that's fascinating! Hopefully there's progress soon!

Nancy

12/5/2020 04:53:46 pm

I am also seeking information. Is there a way to confirm whether someone was a patient at Pilgrim State? My GF passed in 1965 and my mother is now deceased as well. I have no way of confirming if he died there or at another LI hospital. I know where he is buried (not on LI). I am not sure how to obtain his death certificate bc I don’t know the city/town that he died in except that it was Queens, Nassau or Suffolk County. Any thoughts? I heard it is taking over 2 years to order a Cert from Albany. Thanks!

Chester Green

12/7/2020 07:05:05 am

Hi, Central Islip also operated as a Tuberculosis Center at one time. My 2nd Great Grandfather died there in 1904. Do you know if those records are also sealed and if they are stored with the records of the the Psychiatric Center.

Thanks

Accessing Central Islip State Hospital Records

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