| Mendota Mental Health Institute | |
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Shown in Madison, Wisconsin
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| Geography | |
|---|---|
| Location | Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States |
| Organization | |
| Care system | Public |
| Hospital type | State |
| Services | |
| History | |
| Founded | July 14, 1860 |
| Links | |
| Website | http://www.dhfs.state.wi.us/MH_Mendota/ |
| Lists | Hospitals in Wisconsin |
Mendota Mental Health Institute, formerly known as Mendota State Hospital, is a psychiatric hospital located in Madison, Wisconsin north of Lake Mendota. Opened July 14, 1860, it was the first mental hospital in Wisconsin. It is operated by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Accredited by the Joint Commission, it was one of the first mental hospitals to be so accredited. Portions of the facility are included in the Wisconsin Memorial Hospital Historic District, District #88002183.
The facility opened in 1860 as the Wisconsin Hospital for the Insane and, in 1935, was renamed Mendota State Hospital. In 1974, the facility was renamed Mendota Mental Health Institute. Its highest patient population was 1,300 in 1959. In 1997, there were fewer than 300 patients.[1]
In July 2010 the institute lost its federal certification for its adult intake unit. Along with this it also lost about $1 million in federal funding. County taxes will be relied upon to fill the void until it regains certification.[2]
The notorious "Butcher of Plainfield", Ed Gein was housed in this hospital after his previous residence, the Central State Hospital for the Criminally Insane, was converted into a prison.