Claresholm Provincial Auxiliary Mental Hospital
| Claresholm Provincial Auxiliary Mental Hospital | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Opened | 1933 |
| Current Status | Active |
| Building Style | Cottage Plan |
| Location | Claresholm, AB |
| Alternate Names |
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History
The provincial government opened the Claresholm School of Agriculture, which provided farming, mechanics, and household sciences education. It temporarily served as a flu hospital in 1918 before closing in 1931 during the Great Depression. Opened in 1933, the institution housed about 100 female patients transferred from major asylums like Ponoka to relieve overcrowding. Early historical records show that in-house "sedative packs" (snug, wet cold-water wraps) were used as hydrotherapy treatments to calm disturbed patients.
Over time, the original agricultural buildings were demolished and replaced by modern structures. The facility transitioned its focus toward rehabilitation, and it now provides comprehensive behavioral health services, complex care, and addiction treatments under Alberta Health Services.
