Mennonite Health Services Alliance
Mennonite Health Services Alliance (formerly Mennonite Mental Health Services, Incorporated) is an agency that originally held title to mental hospitals established by the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), and was responsible for policy guidance and technical consultation in the operation of those hospitals. It was incorporated on 12 December 1952 as a successor to a Mental Health Services Committee which as the Homes for Mentally Ill Planning and Advisory Committee formed by Mennonite Central Committee on 3 January 1947, had planned the three-hospital program. Initial members, all of whom were directors of the corporation, were George Classen, Titus Books, Dr. Paul M. Nase, and Henry Martens, in additon to officers H. A. Fast president, E. C. Bender vice-president, Delmar Stahly secretary, and Orie Miller treasurer. At its annual meeting on 27 December 1956 the MCC approved a reorganization of its mental health program and called for a change of function and make-up of MMHS during the ensuing year. At a meeting of the new members on 6 April 1957, officers elected were Dr. H. Clair Amstutz chairman, Robert Kreider secretary, Orie Miller treasurer. Other members at that time were Dr. Otto Klassen, Dr. Norman Loux, H. A. Fast, and Frank Peters. Although the stated purpose of MMHS changed little, the reorganization effected during 1957 was significant and involved the establishment of responsible local boards for the operation of each mental hospital, administrative responsibility having theretofore rested directly with the Executive Committee of the Mennonite Central Committee. A more specific policy code was established by MMHS, with a full-time staff member responsible for representing the concerns of the Corporation in coordinating the various hospital programs and in serving Mental Health interests of Mennonite churches in liaisonship with professional, voluntary, and governmental organizations within the field. The corporation maintained an office in connection with the Mennonite Central Committee at Akron, PA.
Through Mennonite Board of Missions and initiatives by local congregations, Mennonites also developed retirement centers, acute care hospitals and agencies serving youth and those with developmental disabilities. In 1988, MMHS changed its name to MHS Alliance (MHS) and accepted the Mission Board's request to guide and serve health and human service providers. It later also related directly to the Mennonite Brethren Church and the Brethren in Christ.
See Brook Lane Health Services, Prairie View Hospital, and Kings View Homes.
Bibliography
MHS Alliance. "MHS Alliance - Connecting Anabaptist Health and Human Service Ministries." Accessed 4 September 2006. Broken link.
| Author(s) | Delmar Stahly |
|---|---|
| Date Published | 1957 |
Cite This Article
MLA style
Stahly, Delmar. "Mennonite Health Services Alliance." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1957. Web. 16 Apr 2024. https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mennonite_Health_Services_Alliance&oldid=171971.
APA style
Stahly, Delmar. (1957). Mennonite Health Services Alliance. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 16 April 2024, from https://gameo.org/index.php?title=Mennonite_Health_Services_Alliance&oldid=171971.
Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 3, p. 631. All rights reserved.
©1996-2024 by the Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. All rights reserved.