Gaebler Children's Center
| Gaebler Childrens Center | |
|---|---|
| Construction Began | 1955 |
| Opened | 1955 |
| Closed | 1992 |
| Current Status | Closed |
| Building Style | Single Building |
| Alternate Names |
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Gaebler Children's Center was a psychiatric institution for severely mentally ill children and adolescents, located in Waltham, Massachusetts.
History
In 1945 it was noted that in a Governor's report that there were children ages 7, 9, 10 among the patient population at Metropolitan State Hospital. The center opened on October 8, 1955 near the grounds of the Metropolitan State Hospital and closed on January 31, 1992. It was named after William C. Gaebler, the second superintendent of the Metropolitan State Hospital. The Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) closed the center as it was antiquated and could no longer serve the needs of the children it housed. According to the DMH, this closure coincided with the decision to place mentally ill children in community settings instead of in institutional settings. Others felt the center was closed due to budget cuts.
