Abstract
Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) on Aug. 9 announced a new name for the McFarland Mental Health Center. By executive proclamation, it is now officially the Elizabeth Parsons Ware Packard Mental Health Center. On signage and in common use, it will become known simply as the Packard Mental Health Center, a news release stated. Located on the south side of Springfield, the psychiatric hospital employs more than 250 staff and supports over 120 patients with serious mental illness on a 24/7 basis. “Today, we are putting a spotlight on the real hero associated with this institution, someone who in truth better expresses our proud history of positive reform and someone who changed our world for the better,” said Pritzker. “Here in Illinois, we are committed to righting the wrongs of the past wherever we can. Renaming this center in honor of Elizabeth Packard, who founded the Anti‐Insane Asylum Society and pushed multiple states to reform their laws to better recognize the rights of mental health patients, is an important step in the right direction.” The name change was initiated by staff at IDHS/Division of Mental Health and was supported by grassroots advocates in an online petition. The announcement comes at a time when IDHS is further transforming its approach to the care of individuals living with intellectual and developmental disabilities. In 1860, Packard was institutionalized against her will in the (now‐closed) Illinois State Asylum and Hospital for the Insane in Jacksonville. At the time, Illinois law allowed men to have their wives involuntarily committed. Packard disagreed with her husband, a Calvinist priest, over religious doctrine, and on issues including women's rights and slavery. This renaming reflects the state's commitment to righting the wrongs of the past, while celebrating the contributions of those who have historically been overlooked. “The symbolism of changing the name of this institution is so important as we continue to work toward the equity of women in our society,” said Vickie Smith, president and CEO, Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence.
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