Forest Haven
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (May 2013) |
Forest Haven was a live-in facility for children and adults with intellectual disability (ID) located in Laurel, Maryland and operated by the District of Columbia.[1] The site was opened in 1925 and closed on October 14, 1991, by order of a federal judge after years of alleged abuse, medical incompetence, and several deaths from aspiration pneumonia.
Overview[edit]
Forest Haven opened in 1925 as a farm-like institution geared towards educating its patients with useful life skills. It encompassed nearly 300 acres and contained 22 separate buildings, and at its height housed well over one thousand patients. Its decline began in the 1960s as funding was cut and the population grew to include persons with non-ID conditions such as epilepsy.[1] In 1974, Forest Haven received at least 20 individuals from a nearby orphanage "Junior Village" which had closed. A lawsuit filed by families of patients at Forest Haven in 1976 and joined by the Department of Justice in 1978 resulted in the relocation of many residents to group homes, but the facility continued to operate, even allowing a physician with a suspended medical license to continue practicing there.[2]
Between 1989 and 1991, prior to the facility's closure, the Justice Department began to monitor deaths from aspiration pneumonia, a condition that can be caused by improper feeding procedures (e.g. feeding a patient who is lying down). There are also accounts of rampant physical, mental, and sexual abuse at the facility.[2][3] Prior residents have reported being hit with "belts, switches, and baseball bats." Missing teeth and other dental problems are commonly reported. Many of the residents who died were buried in a mass grave, unmarked until a headstone – noting 389 individuals – was erected by some of the patients' families in 1987. Some of the graves have been uncovered by erosion.[1]
Today, the site is abandoned and is cared for by United States Park Police, but remains a popular attraction for urban explorers. Many hazardous items such as asbestos have been removed, but much of the equipment, including desks, beds, toys, and medical records remain.[1]
Facilities and procedures[edit]
- Residents not permitted shoelaces
- Safety pins used to hold clothing up or together (no belts)
Timeline and history[edit]
| Date | Event | Notes | References |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1925 | "District Training School for the Mentally Retarded" opens | ||
| 1928 | First on-grounds burial | ||
| 1954 | Thorazine becomes widely used in hospitals and institutions | ||
| 1963 | Institution name changes to "Forest Haven" | ||
| 1967 | Joy Evans court-ordered to Forest Haven | ||
| 1971 | Curley Building opened | ||
| 1972 | More than 100 job vacancies at Forest Haven reported | ||
| 1973 (February 23) | Evans v. Fenty lawsuit filed | ||
| 1974 | Nearby orphanage "Junior Village" closes, 20 children are relocated to Forest Haven | ||
| 1976 (July) | Joy Evans dies (age 18) | ||
| 1978 | US Departement of Justice joins lawsuit Evans v. Fenty | ||
| 1987 | Families of patients construct a plaque to mark the 389 individuals buried in the mass grave | ||
| 1989 (August 8) | Arkie, a resident since the age of 5, dies of aspiration pneumonia at the age of 22 | ||
| 1991 | D.C. becomes the second jurisdiction to deinstitutionalize | ||
| 1991 (September 29) | Last resident relocated | ||
| 1991 (October 14) | Forest Haven officially closes |
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Maurer, Pablo (November 18, 2013). "Abandoned D.C.: Inside The Ruins Of The Forest Haven Asylum". DCist. Archived from the original on October 7, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
- ^ a b Waas, Murray (April 3, 1994). "Bleak House". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
- ^ Boo, Katherine (March 1, 1999). "Forest Haven is gone, but the agony remains". WashingtonPost. Retrieved September 1, 2015.
External links[edit]
- Oak Hill Center Emptied and Its Baggage Left Behind. The Washington Post. 29 May 2009
- Behind Oak Hill's Fences, Violence and Uncertainty. The Washington Post. August 2, 2004
- From Filthy Boys Prison to New Beginnings: Hill Staffers Walk a Mile in Youthful Offenders' Shoes. American Civil Liberties Union. July 14, 2011
- D.C. Leaders Tour New Beginnings Youth Center. The Washington Post. June 4, 2009
- "Abandoned Home for the Abandoned: Forest Haven Asylum." Sometimes Interesting. 12 Apr 2014
- How We Made the #TheForestHavenStory Happen. Huffington Post. 08 Dec 2015.
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